Farmers Weekly NZ March 29 2021 by AgriHQ

5 Fonterra still underweight Vol 19 No 12, March 29, 2021

farmersweekly.co.nz

$3.95

Incl GST

Money from trees

ARMERS may be missing out on potential new income streams available if they planted areas not profitable to farm in trees, then register them under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Forest360 Masterton team leader for land-use Michelle McCabe, who took a Farms, Trees and Carbon workshop for Beef + Lamb NZ recently, says one of the most common missed opportunities she sees on farms is around best land-use. She says with a bit of extra planning and strategic planting there is potential for many farmers to take advantage of what they are already doing and create potential new income streams. To qualify as forest land under the ETS, plantings must be at least one-hectare in tree species that have the potential to grow higher than five metres. The land itself has to have an average potential width of 30m, and the potential canopy cover has to be more than 30% of the area being claimed for. She says almost all types of onfarm plantings can be designed to fit with the ETS forest land definition. She says there are many farms with erosion-prone areas already in poplar poles that would not need much more area planted to qualify for the ETS, creating a possible extra earner from carbon credits. There are also plenty of opportunities with gullies that are already in natives. They may not be large enough to qualify for the ETS but by extending them, or linking different areas with additional planting, it’s possible to

INVESTMENT: Pahiatua farmer Pete Apthorp explains aspects of his pine and native tree planting to a Beef + Lamborganised workshop on his property.

Something needs to be done to make natives (trees) more attractive. Pete Apthorp Farmer make them large enough so that they do. McCabe encourages farmers to check the history of their land to

see whether it qualifies as pre1990 land under the scheme and the associated obligations and opportunities. She says once planted areas come under the ETS farmers can sell their credits to emitters or investors, or just let them sit in their account until they choose to sell at the market price. About 50 farmers attended the workshop at Pete and Ally Apthorp’s Pahiatua farm. It was the second one held on the topic in the past few weeks. The first one in Taihape was also

Highly palatable Population control in 7 days Reduced risk of secondary poisoning

fully subscribed, with about 25 farmers attending. The Apthorps have 21.2ha currently registered in the ETS, including 12.6ha in native reversion, 2.7ha in riparian planting and 5.9ha in radiata pine. They plan to expand their native reversion by another 4.1ha, along with another 3.8ha in native riparian planting, which will help link to larger reversion areas. There are also plans to target 19ha of erosion-prone gullies with poplar and willow planting.

A variety of native trees have been planted, including cabbage, pittosporum and kanuka. The Apthorps have planted both natives and exotics on their property but Pete says from a purely business perspective, it would have made more sense for him to have only planted pine trees. “It’s a big problem that there’s no incentive to have natives,” Pete said. “Something needs to be done to make natives more attractive, it’s too profitable to do pine trees.”

NEWS

ON FARM STORY

30 Guardians of the land As fifth-generation guardians of the land first purchased by UK immigrant David Bishell, Simon and Scott Bishell are continuing a long-standing tradition of diversification and trend-bucking to future-proof.

REGULARS Newsmaker �� 24 New Thinking �� 25 Editorial �� 26

4 SIAFD draws 30k-strong crowd The South Island Agricultural Field Days 2021 proved a winner, with a record more than 30,000 people heading through the gates for the event.

Pulpit �� 27 Opinion �� 28 On Farm Story �� 30-31 Real Estate �� 32-36 Tech & toys �� 37 Employment �� 38 Classifieds �� 39 Livestock �� 39-43 Weather �� 45

10 Pohangina catchment event a success

The popularity of farmer-led river catchment groups continues to grow, with the Pohangina Catchment Care Group attracting more than 80 people to a community event.

14 Plan for winter grazing Farmers are being urged to adopt careful winter grazing management this year, with leaders fearing critics will use a reprieve from new government regulations to hunt out examples of poor practice.

Markets �� 44-48 GlobalHQ is a farming family owned business that donates 1% of all advertising revenue in Farmers Weekly and Dairy Farmer to farmer health and well-being initiatives. Thank you for your prompt payment.

Serve up a good feed with SustaiN With lambing season close at hand, it’s time to start thinking about giving your new arrivals the best possible start. Optimise your pasture growth with SustaiN which contains A GROTAIN® – a coating that’s scientifically proven to retain more nitrogen in your soil, so your ewes can serve up a good feed this spring.

ballance.co.nz | 0800 222 090

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Lamb pricing on strong footing Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz THE expected release of multiple mid to high $7/kg early winter lamb contracts has analysts questioning if they are driven to secure supply or market strength. AgriHQ senior analyst Mel Croad says one processor has released a prime lamb contract for May-June supply offering $7.30-$7.80/kg, and indications are others will follow. She wonders if the steep increase in price between now and then reflects market optimism, is a tool to smooth winter supply patterns or a combination of both. “Indications this week suggest several other companies are set to release similar pricing contracts,” Croad said. “It does give a positive impression that things are quickly looking up for lamb. “Strong pricing levels through May-June may entice an early flow of lambs into the processors, spreading the number of lambs over a wider timeframe, helping mitigate any supply gaps or pressure”. Current lamb prices are $6.25$6.55/kg, but Croad says a $1.30/ kg jump in price over the next 11 weeks is steeper than usual. “We don’t normally see a jump of $1.30/kg from prices in late March-early April for contracts in May-June,” she said. In previous years, May-June lamb prices have been between $7.20/kg and $7.30/kg. Processors could be looking to lock in supply with this year’s kill estimated at 18.25m, one of the smallest ever. Croad says the usual seasonal farm gate pricing volatility for lamb is less pronounced this season despite shipping issues, a high exchange rate and the contraction of the food service sector. “On the whole, they have

STABLE: AgriHQ senior analyst Mel Croad says on the whole, lamb has traded along at steady prices, which is a surprise given logistical challenges and that covid-19 is still present in some markets.

We don’t normally see a jump of $1.30/ kg from prices in late March-early April for contracts in MayJune. Mel Croad AgriHQ traded along at steady prices, which is a surprise given logistical challenges and that covid-19 is still present in some markets,” she said. The reason is not clear, but Croad says it could be due to the more structured and stable pricing in the now dominant retail sector and the performance of exporters in selling product. Red meat export values from

November-February were well back on last year, but are trading within a much narrower band with lamb between $9.88/kg and $9.93/kg compared to $11.20/kg and $12.20/kg in 2019-20. For beef the band this year has been between $7.10/kg and $7.23/ kg, which included record beef export volumes for February of 51,150 tonnes, of which 40% went to China. The re-emergence of African swine fever in China is generating fresh demand for protein especially lamb. “What we are seeing are reports of African swine fever coming through again, but on a much smaller scale than 2019,” she said. “That is creating a lift in demand as they secure protein, which is supporting improved lamb export prices.” Beef pricing has also been relatively stable but was subject to fluctuation due to the US where

import prices have spiked, fallen and are now recovering again. Meanwhile, prices for hides and pelts have weakened further this year, continuing a five-year trend. There have been reports of hides being dumped because the cost of processing to export state exceeds market returns. AgriHQ analyst Nicola Dennis says the reason is unclear, but she is aware of tanneries in China, traditionally our largest market, closing due to environmental issues, while demand from Italy has fallen due to lower demand for luxury leather bags and leather upholstery in cars. From 2016 to 2019, the volume of sheep pelts sold to China in February averaged about 5500t. In 2020 exports for the month to China were 3600t, although there were logistical issues, and in 2021 it was 4500t. Prices have similarly plummeted.

The price of pelts exported in February 2016 was $1.70/kg. In 2019 it had fallen to 97c/kg, last year it was 57c/kg and last month it rose slightly to 62c/kg. It is a similar story for hides, although lower prices appear to be maintaining a degree of demand. February export volumes to China from 2016 to 2021 have averaged about 10,000t, but the price has halved from $2.46/kg in 2016 to $1.15/kg in 2021. Italy, also a major buyer of pelts, has reduced its purchases for February from 3200t in 2016 to 2000t in 2021, with the price slipping over that period from $4.35-$2.21/kg. “The price of hides appears to be being undermined by alternatives,” Dennis said. “It’s been falling for a while, but covid-19 has not helped people who are not buying luxury handbags and cars.”

Together, Creating the Best Soil and Feed on Earth

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

SIAFD draws 30k-strong crowd Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz THE South Island Agricultural Field Days 2021 proved a winner, with a record more than 30,000 people heading through the gates for the event. The field days held at their Kirwee site were a welcome opportunity for the agricultural industry to get together to celebrate the latest developments and innovations in the sector, as well as a chance to catch up with friends and colleagues. A day off the farm and a time for rural and urban communities to mingle, saw them turn out in their droves over all three days. Celebrating its 70th event, the SIAFD is one of the largest and longest running field days in New Zealand. From modest beginnings, the SIAFD can now boast the largest working machinery display of any field days in the country. There was something to interest everyone in the 600 trade site exhibitions and interactive stalls, and not just those in the agricultural sector, with a focus this year on creating a lifestyle section where people could come together and catch up with friends over a beer and a bite to eat. It was an opportunity to learn about new innovations and a chance to watch new machinery and technology in action as 11ha of crops were mowed, chopped and cultivated, with the demonstrations of farm machinery proving a key attraction for the crowds. Each day 40 machines – mowers, rakers, tedders and foragers – demonstrated their ability in the expanded working demonstration area that made it more accessible to people. “The past year has seen us in unprecedented times with a global pandemic and thankfully agriculture has been recognised

DAY WELL SPENT: South Canterbury farmer Frank Black, 93, has lost count of how many Field Day events he has attended but he is certain this year is the best yet, suggesting he may be able to say the same again at the next Field Days in two years’ time. Photo: Annette Scott

Planning an event with the threat of looming lockdowns has been challenging but the organising committee remained determined. Michaela McLeod SIAFD as the shining light that we all know it to be,” SIAFD chair Michaela McLeod said. “Planning an event with the threat of looming lockdowns

has been challenging but the organising committee remained determined that the event would go ahead in some capacity as a means of celebrating the industry that has remained reliable and unwavering throughout the difficult times the country has faced. “The feedback we are getting is the exhibitors are really enjoying the positive engagement they are having with the public, which is a great achievement for our organising committee.” Two-time Rugby World Cup winning All Black Sam Whitelock was a feature for the Field Days on Friday as he engaged with the public as part of his role as a Farmstrong ambassador.

In the competition sector, the Agri-Innovation award was won by Frizzells Smart Paddock Weigher. The three-person panel of industry experts were extremely impressed by the new technology which allows farmers to weigh young livestock in the paddock, therefore offering the possibility to better manage the individual needs of the animal. The Agri Magic Smart Farming award was won by Halter Cow Collars with their potential for positive environmental impacts, improved animal health awareness and on-farm financial gains. “The ability to tell a cow that bad weather was coming, sending

it to the feedpad and ensuring it has both shelter and wasn’t having a negative impact on the grass cover or the ability to keep it out of waterways was something that really impressed us,” judge Neil Baxter said. The best overall exhibition was awarded to Alpine Buildings NZ that headed off stiff competition to take home the Hamish Reid Memorial trophy. The Best Big Site award went to Polaris after wowing the crowds with their off-road vehicles that were put through paces on their make-shift course. Christchurch-based planning and surveying company Survus Consultants scooped the Best Small Site award.

GET SOME HEAT ON THIS SUMMER & AUTUMN WITH LEADING BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM CATTLE DRENCHES Boehringer Ingelheim products have been carefully developed for New Zealand cattle farms, and right now, when you purchase qualifying products, you’ll receive either a Ziegler & Brown twin burner BBQ, a bluetooth speaker, or a BBQ carving knife set. PROMOTIONAL OFFER ENDS 30 APRIL 2021 WHILE STOCKS LAST *QUALIFYING PRODUCTS: ZIEGLER & BROWN BBQ: ECLIPSE® Pour-On 12.5L x 1, ECLIPSE® E Injection with B12 + Se x 3L x 2, Ivomec EPRINEX® Pour-On for Cattle & Deer 25L x1. BLUETOOTH SPEAKER: ECLIPSE® Pour-On 5L x 1, MATRIX-C Hi-Mineral 10L x 1, MATRIX-C

Hi-Mineral 20L x 1, SWITCH® C Hi-Mineral 10L x 2, SWITCH® C Hi-Min 20L x 1. SWITCH® FLUKE 10 x 10L x 1. BBQ STAINLESS STEEL CARVING SET: ECLIPSE® Pour-On 2.5L x 1, ECLIPSE® E Injection x 500mL x 2, ECLIPSE® E Injection with B12 + SE x 500mL x 2, EXODUS® Pour-On 5L x 1, GENESIS® Injection + B12 + SE 500mL x 2, GENESIS® POUR ON 10L x 1, GENESIS® ULTRA POUR ON 5L x1, IVOMEC® Plus Injection x 500mL x 4, SWITCH® FLUKE 10 x 5L x 1. NZ-CAP-0058-2020

PROMOTIONAL OFFER ENDS 30 APRIL 2021, WHILE STOCKS LAST

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Fonterra still underweight Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz FONTERRA’S interim results were encouraging, but more work needs to be done to reach earnings targets and levels achieved previously, equities analysts say. While the company had a strong first half, the outlook for the second half is poor, and share and unit holders can expect only 12-15c dividend for the full year, according to projections. An interim dividend of 5c has already been declared by the company and will be paid on April 15. A yield of around 3-4% means the company must do better or the current share/unit price of $5 is overvalued. Brokers have “underweight” recommendations on Fonterra Shareholders’ Fund (FSF) units, meaning they think the stock will underperform the sharemarket,

and compared with other investments. The prices of Fonterra supply shares and FSF units have risen 25% from $4-$5 in the past six months as global milk prices have risen and farmers’ returns look good. Forsyth Barr senior analyst Chelsea Leadbetter says the subdued outlook for the rest of the 2021 financial year is a reminder of the inherent volatility in Fonterra’s earnings and the global supply and demand factors outside of its control. She noted the full-year earnings guidance maintained at 25-35c a share and made her own estimate of 29.2c, from which she predicted the company would pay 12c fully imputed dividend. The company was committed to 50c earnings per share (eps) in the medium-term, but Leadbetter thought 33c and 36c could be expected in FY22 and FY23. Craigs Investment Partners

CONFIDENCE: Jarden’s head of research Arie Dekker says dairy farmers and unit investors have $8 billion equity investment in Fonterra and they need more disclosure to support the investment case.

analysts predicted 31.2c eps in the current year, followed by 33c and 35c. From those earnings, Craigs expected the company to pay 15c dividend this year and 16c in the following two years. “We think the yield based on our forecast dividend is too low for a business that has delivered

returns on equity around 6% over the last three years,” they said. “It also has a governance structure that better serves farmer’s interests as opposed to unitholders.” The valuation of Fonterra shares and units on a dividend discount model was only $3.68, and Craigs maintained an underweight, underwhelming recommendation. “We acknowledge upside to our target price if the management can execute their longer-term target of 50c eps by FY24, which would imply a dividend range of 20c to 30c,” they said. Jarden’s head of research Arie Dekker pointed out that dairy farmers and unit investors have $8 billion equity investment in Fonterra and they need more disclosure to support the investment case and make informed decisions about capital structure choices. Why should capital be retained in Australia and Chile when it could be invested in priority areas which should produce greater returns, Dekker questioned. Strategy and capital structure are linked so Fonterra needs to provide more clarity to farmers during the structural review. The co-operative could exit geographies or product areas where it doesn’t have a competitive advantage

and redirect that capital into priority areas or pay it back to shareholders. “If Fonterra does see little change required in the portfolio from here, we believe a clear strategy supporting each of the businesses and expectations of financial performance would greatly benefit establishing accountability and building confidence,” Dekker said.

We think the yield based on our forecast dividend is too low for a business that has delivered returns on equity around 6% over the last three years. Craigs Investment Partners “These things ultimately go to Fonterra’s competitiveness to retain milk in the longer-term.” Dekker says when the exit from China farms is completed, a target price of $4.85 is indicated with some upside of a sustainable lift in earnings and lower capital investment.

Couple recognised for sustainability initiatives CENTRAL Hawke’s Bay sheep, beef and deer farmers Evan and Linda Potter are the new national ambassadors for sustainable farming and growing, and the recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy. The Potters, who produce venison, velvet, wool, and sheep and beef on 740ha, also have a focus on biodiversity and trees, with 22% of their farm retired into mainly QEII National Trust covenants and plans to continue

fencing and retirement of more land in partnership with QEII. They were the East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Award winners in 2020. The Potters’ focus on solutions and their understanding of the need to maintain sound financial performance to fund environmental projects was a stand out for the national judging panel. The judges noted that the Potters presented well-

articulated, positive and holistic views about New Zealand and its future as a food and fibre producer on the international stage. They both have an excellent understanding of on and off-farm challenges faced by the sector. Panel chair Dianne Kidd says they “walk the talk” with their environmental projects and sustainability initiatives, and are role models as early adopters of change.

ROLE MODELS: Linda and Evan Potter are this year’s winners of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy.

REAL VALUE

EVERY DAY WITH YOUR RURALCO CARD UP TO

BRAY STREET ENGINEERING DARFIELD

10% DISCOUNT

12.5% ELECTRASERVE ASHBURTON

UP TO

DISCOUNT

B J SCARLETT LTD TIMARU

UP TO

DISCOUNT

RURALCO.CO.NZ

20% MITRE 10 NATIONWIDE

DISCOUNT

UP TO

15%

10% POLYTHENE & PVC PRODUCTS GORE

DISCOUNT

UP TO

THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE MANY GREAT SUPPLIERS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO USE YOUR RURALCO CARD AT & SAVE

0800 787 256

DISCOUNT

DUNEDIN CITY MOTORS DUNEDIN

10% MATHERS JEWELLERY & TIME OAMARU

HARVEY NORMAN NATIONWIDE

UP TO

10% THE TOOL SHED AMBERLEY

DISCOUNT

15%

40%

OAKLEYS PLUMBING SUPPLIES DISCOUNT NATIONWIDE

UP TO

HYDRALINK NORTH CANTERBURY RANGIORA

DISCOUNT

UP TO

VETENT NATIONWIDE

DISCOUNT

Staying in touch Ravensdown exists to enable smarter farming for a better New Zealand. The names below belong to shareholders who we have not been in touch with for a very long time. If your name is mentioned, it means that we may not have your current contact details and have been unable to reach you.

Northland - Auckland - Western BOP - HINTZ FAMILY TRUST South Waikato G J ILLSTON R A KERNOHAN T V G BEESON K J & B A LANDERS DIAMOND BROS FAMILY TRUST D M & C B LAWN FARRAND ORCHARDS LTD S F LONGSTAFF & J H MILLER L J FORREST R M MATTHEWS J R & F J FOWLIE P J G & M L MILLER FOWLIES ELECTRICAL LTD NAKI FARMS LIMITED W GOODWIN F A, D I & G B NITSCHKE M C HENDERSON K PLOEN & I A BUCHANAN HILLCREST FARMS LTD RIMU PARTNERSHIP A P JONES - SOCIETY OF MARY V W & J G SKLENARS KAYNES FARMS LTD TAI FONG & COMPANY LEGGETT FAMILY TRUST N R WILSON MACKY FAMILY TRUSTS ZIMIDDY TRUST ESTATE D W MATTHEWS M J MAY East Coast - Hawke’s Bay - South E J MCCOSH Wairarapa J MCPHEE A R MEAD GLADSTONE FARMS LTD L A & D L PHILLIPS G O HANSEN D J & J PIVAC H S LEWIS M L & D POLLARD G MORRISON RANGATIRA 8A 17 TRUST A F OLSZEWSKI J R & B A SANFORD A W PREECE J E A STEWART T M & P J RASMUSSEN TAUMANU LANDS TRUST RENALLS LTD G A SORENSEN & L D HICKS South Taranaki - Taupo - Manawatu - PARTNERSHIP Wellington TE KAIRANGA WINES LTD N J & S M THORBURN W J & V A BRADLEY A D WELLBROCK TRUST L P & Q H CHAN M P & L R DICKSON H T EVANS GARDENVIEW TRUST G W & E M GLASGOW M L HAMMOND

Mid & North Canterbury - West Coast - Tasman - Marlborough Kaikoura ANIMAL FARM LTD ALLAN P BEAUMONT A J COCKBURN C J DODUNSKI HAISMA NACHTWEH PARTNERSHIP A J & F V JESSOP J A LORY B V & A J LYNSKEY A L & V P MCINROE J J A MCLAUGHLIN ESTATE I G MURDOCH SEVEN PEAKS LTD Central Otago - South Canterbury M L HYNES B J MULLIGAN ROCKARDEN TRUST G W SHARP B T & N E SQUIRE H G STANWAY TAMORA TRUST PARTNERSHIP Southland - East Otago J & C BELLFIELDS LIMITED DOWDLE J S & D J D J & J LIETZE A J LINKLATER W J & J M NELSON J G WRIGHT LTD N R YOUNG

We’d love to hear from you so we can update your details.

Enabling smarter farming for a better New Zealand®

Please contact our Customer Centre on 0800 100 123 or email customer.centre@ravensdown.co.nz

0800 100 123 ravensdown.co.nz

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

SWAG set sights on US market Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz GETTING into the heads and minds of modern consumers is a key priority for the Strong Wool Action Group (SWAG) in its drive to understand the future value chain of New Zealand strong wool. The first target market is America because that is where 45% of the world’s carpet manufacturing capability is. SWAG chief executive Andy Caughey says a nine-week project commissioned with San Francisco-based design-led company IDEO is on track for presentation to the SWAG board early next month. “This is about consumer insight and there are some big trends happening in America,” Caughey said. Covid has changed the perception of how people live and with more people working from home, the rise of Zoom towns in the US, and growing consciousness worldwide of environmental credentials of products, are all trends SWAG is hinging on as potential opportunities. “The plan is to uncover consumers’ pain points and develop a solution in a strong wool demand-driven strategy,” he said. “While we are currently exporting strong wool overseas, we don’t have a clear understanding of which companies and end products the wool is going into. “We need to understand the value chain our strong wool takes, and importantly get into the heads and minds of modern consumers so we know what

they want and anticipate their requirements into the future.” The focus has been whittled down to three key project opportunities – global potential, more volume and increased value. “IDEO is completing a report around the key criteria of these three projects; this report is due by the end of March and will be presented to the SWAG board in April,” he said.

We need to understand the value chain our strong wool takes, and importantly get into the heads and minds of modern consumers so we know what they want and anticipate their requirements into the future. Andy Caughey Strong Wool Action Group “We will then provide open engagement for people to participate in.” Caughey acknowledged that IDEO, while part of the process, will not work for everyone. “There are emerging brands and ideas coming out of NZ and we recognise that, and they will have the opportunity to work with SWAG,” he said. “We can’t support everyone – there is limited resources and limited time.

“We will go through the process to determine what other companies we can work with to build an investment case for them. “The critical component of IDEO is what we do for the greatest good for all as we identify the best and most suitable projects for investment funding.” SWAG is not an industry good organisation. “But we are here to do the industry good,” he said. Funding is not a hurdle with SWAG’s budget of $3.5 million, including strong government support on top of $750,000 from a cross section of industry bodies and companies. Brands will be the key to disrupt categories, such as Allbirds disrupting the sport shoe category, and repositioning wool in the minds of consumers. “We need to build brands and work with brands who can be ambassadors for NZ strong wool,” he said. “It is fascinating what people are doing with strong wool, there is no single solution. “We want to help build a pathway for these budding entrepreneurs to give them skills and resources to bring these products to market.” “We are creating a pathway to accelerate a route to market that we can execute with a high degree of confidence.” Come July-August, SWAG will be pitching to the Government, and other entities that may have an interest in investing. It might be a start-up, joint venture or a collaboration with an existing company in NZ. By the end of the year, the intention is to have at least four companies invested with funding

POTENTIAL: Andy Caughey says there are some big trends happening in America that present opportunity for New Zealand strong wool.

to launch in the marketplace. SWAG is also active in building an accreditation platform for strong wool and workforce capability to help encourage the industry to ensure it has the capacity to train sufficient wool graders and shearers for the future. Before SWAG runs its time at the end of this year, the aim is to have in place enduring industry

structures that will support the industry in the future. Currently there is no single entity providing direction or encouraging cooperation. “We will look at industry structures to represent all interests of the wool industry,” he said. “That may not be a single entity, but by the end of the year we will identify what it will be.”

Available from

Drainflo

LOOKING AFTER YOUR LAND

Superior drainage and filtration For the best drainage solution in your land, choose high performing, flexible, crush-resistant New Zealand-made products that stand the test of time but are 100% recyclable. The range, available at PGG Wrightson, includes Drainflo® Smooth, with a refined doubled-walled smooth inner lining for outstanding water flow rates.

Scan here to buy or visit your local PGG Wrightson store

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Native tree plan needs ambition Colin Williscroft colin.williscroft@globalhq.co.nz A FARMER involved in a new initiative that’s calling for a radical change in thinking to meet the Climate Change Commission’s target of 300,000ha of new native forests by 2035 says it’s going to be a big ask – but that’s not putting him off. O Tātou Ngāhere is a programme launched on Thursday night by Pure Advantage and Tāne’s Tree Trust that not only calls for greater ambition in meeting the commission’s target, but also seeks an urgent change to the way native forests are planted, managed and valued. Tāne Tree Trust trustee Ian Brennan, who runs a small drystock farm providing dairy grazing near Cambridge that he aims to half plant in native trees, says while pine trees have been the focus of a lot of plantings for those targeting carbon credits, he cannot imagine anyone regretting planting natives – although they are a much longer-term project. It’s just a matter of looking beyond short-term costs and financial benefits in the current environment to what will be better for the country in the future. Brennan and wife Trisha Wren’s farm is just under 90ha, of which about 30ha has been planted in trees. He plans to plant another 5ha, which will complement the 16ha of land on the property that is under a QEII covenant. Wren runs an equine business

from home and the couple also rent out a converted woolshed as a homestay, so they have other income outside the farm, which allows Brennan to pursue his native tree planting goals. The major species he has planted is totara at about 4m spacings, with a nurse crop at 2m spacing in between. That’s about 2500 stems a hectare. He’s also planted a variety of other species, including rimu, mataī, kahikatea, tanekaha and rewarewa. He says because of the steepness of the land it wasn’t a big sacrifice to turn it back into native bush, but that does not mean the trees cannot be harvested in the future. “A lightbulb went on and I thought ‘you’re spending all this money and effort turning what was productive land and you’re giving it back to nature’,” Brennan said. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking a little piece and making something sustainable for the future. “Continuous cover forestry, that’s what I’m trying to set up here. A forest that can be managed for a sustainable forever supply of timber.” That means trees that are highly valued for the quality of their timber being individually felled rather than clear felled, allowing ecosystems and their biodiversity to be maintained. To allow for that, and forest management along the way, Brennan has cut tracks through

ROOTING FOR NATURE: Ian Brennan has helped the water quality of streams that run through his farm through establishing native forestry. Photo: http://www.alistairguthrie.com/ @alistairguthrie

Continuous cover forestry, that’s what I’m trying to set up here. A forest that can be managed for a sustainable forever supply of timber. Ian Brennan Farmer and tree grower areas before planting to allow future access. He says because the trees are a valuable resource, people in the future will manage the forest and look after it, although he is only going to be around for the beginning. “It would be nice to see the canopy close, but ultimately my job is a forest starter, that’s the way I see it here,” he said. He says meeting the commission’s goal is going to require a lot of forest management on reverting land, including steep hill country.

The O Tātou Ngāhere report aims to assist that by delivering a suite of 37 articles by New Zealand and global experts via an interactive website, as well as a short documentary available on the Pure Advantage website and to be hosted on TVNZ On Demand. Pure Advantage trustee Sir Stephen Tindall believes that the commission’s goal is achievable under current settings, but with the right changes to regulations and incentives between 1-2 million hectares of new permanent native forest cover is possible. “Successfully achieving this could reduce our current carbon footprint by 25-50%.” But to deliver those numbers a major shift in policy and practice is required,” Tindall said. “We need a revolution in the way we think and act regarding native forests. “We must find ways to engage young people and encourage private landowners to plant and regenerate native trees – on farms, on marginal land, on lifestyle blocks, through civic partnerships and in our urban environments. “In the process we’ll unlock

RELIABILITY IS THE BACKBONE OF A WORTHY POUR ON. TURBO Pour-on is a world first treatment option for growing cattle. Using DMI-Sorb™ rain-resistant technology TURBO® is designed for New Zealand’s unruly weather conditions and provides the best combination for internal and external parasite control. Part of the 3-stage cattle drench programme, TURBO® Pour-on is ®

TURBO® CATTLE DRENCH PROGRAMME

the next generation in safety, efficacy and reliability. Available exclusively through veterinary practices nationwide.

a myriad of new opportunities and benefits, from sustainable tourism and timber harvesting, to restoring the mauri of our land and replenishing our biodiversity. This programme of work is about integrating native forest into our whenua for the benefit of all.” Tāne’s Tree Trust chair and former president of the NZ Forest Owners Association Peter Berg says the predominance of pine in NZ forestry needs to be reconsidered. “Pinus radiata is a spectacular tree for many reasons. It has served NZ extremely well and made a massive contribution to our economy, but we should not limit our thinking to plantation forestry in every situation, nor have it the only tree that we plant at scale. We need to see the same level of research, investment and interest in other species including NZ natives – and the rewards will follow,” Berg said. “This report sets out some bold thinking about what needs to be done if we are to unlock the full potential of NZ’s native forests – for commercial, cultural and spiritual benefit.”

PROUDLY

OWNED

PURCHASE A 5L OF TURBO® POUR ON AND RECEIVE A FOOD SAVER VACUUM SEALER*. PURCHASE A 2.5L AND RECEIVE A $40 NEW WORLD VOUCHER*. SEE YOUR LOCAL VETERINARY PRACTICE FOR DETAILS. STAGE 1 TURBO® Initial Oral Drench

STAGE 2

STAGE 3

TURBO® Advance Oral Drench

TURBO® Pour On or Injection

ALLEVA.CO.NZ | PROUDLY NZ OWNED TURBO is registered trademark of Alleva Animal Health Ltd. TURBO pour-on (A011722), TURBO Injection (A011742), TURBO Initial (A011703) and TURBO Advance (A011714) are registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997. See www.foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions. *Promotional items received may differ from advertised images and available while stocks last. Vouchers not redeemable for cash. Offer applies to BOSS and Turbo Pour on only.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

NZ cheese market needs growth Gerald Piddock gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz NEW Zealand needs to better recognise the value of its cheese market by growing its small artisan cheese sector, internationally-recognised cheese expert Juliet Harbutt says. Harbutt, who has been chief judge at the British Cheese Awards and a judge at many famous European cheese award events believes the dairy industry is missing out on a big opportunity to grow this market. She would love to see it mirror the wine industry, with hundreds of small producers operating and being very successful worldwide. “I would love to see us do the same thing with New Zealand cheese; instead of having these massive farms, we have smaller farms and instead of having 30-40 artisan producers, we have 400500,” Harbutt said. She says the cheese industry needed to evolve beyond the mass production currently in place in factories and focus more on artisan operators producing unique and high-quality cheeses. This would push cheese into the high-end market. She says the tiny amount of artisan cheesemakers was the reason there are so few cheese shops in NZ. In supermarkets in the UK, consumers would find only a handful of products for each cheese type such as a feta or brie. In NZ, there was a choice of 25. “Here you have 15-20 and half of them are the same, and how do we know how to choose? We have loads of feta, camembert, halloumi, harveti – it’s all the same,” she said. This is because there was so little education in NZ about cheese and how it is made, which Harbutt says is extraordinary. Providing this education would also help grow the artisan cheese market among people so they could build their knowledge, understand what is involved in its creation and why it is expensive. At the same time, we also need to consider producing milk

NEW DIRECTION: Cheese expert Juliet Harbutt wants the New Zealand cheese industry to evolve beyond the massproduced product made in factories and focus more on growing artisan operators.

from different breeds or species and supplying that milk to cheesemakers to give that milk a defining characteristic. “All of those things need to be tweaked to make our boring milk into something more complex,” she said. However, NZ Cheese School director and NZ Specialist Cheesemakers Association chair Neil Willman says it is not that simple. “Setting up a cheese business is fraught with difficulty,” Willman said. “You don’t make money making cheese, you make money selling cheese, and when you start making cheese in a business, no one wants your cheese.” He says this is because no one knows your reputation or who you are. Breaking down that barrier

You don’t make money making cheese, you make money selling cheese, and when you start making cheese in a business, no one wants your cheese. Neil Willman NZ Cheese School

required a lot of door knocking to convince chefs and retailers to use or stock your cheese. “You have to convince them they need your cheese,” he said. His school runs a day-long class on how to set up a cheesemaking

business. He says 19 out of 20 people who complete the course walk away feeling they have “dodged a bullet”, in establishing their own cheese business. Since 2006, there have been about 31 cheesemaking businesses that are now defunct. “There’s only about 50-odd small specialty cheese businesses in NZ, so 31 is a pretty high churn rate and that’s because you don’t make money making cheese,” he said. There is also a rigmarole of regulations cheesemakers have to go through in order to establish a business. “It’s not an industry you want to enter into lightly because you have to be a specialist in so many different things,” he said. People had to go into the industry with their eyes wide open and they usually did it because

it is a lifestyle, not as a money earner. “It’s very, very hard to make money out of it,” he said. Instead, he suggested dairy farmers use their milk supply to create their own cheese for private consumption. Harbutt’s idea was great and the NZ Cheese School had trained people who had gone on to become professional cheesemakers, but it took a huge amount of determination for the business to succeed, Over the Moon Dairy Company founder Sue Arthur says. Compliance costs and the time it took to be compliant made it difficult to set up an artisan cheese business. Scale was also an issue and most artisan cheesemakers did not make enough to supply supermarkets.

Increase your farms Production, Profitability & Environmental Sustainability. DDPhos Granulated RPR. Microbes for Soil • Animals • Production • Environment

Slower releasing non water-soluble phosphate in DDPhos can improve the return on your phosphate applications by reducing the amount of Phosphate that is both leached and locked up in your soil.

Reduced Requirement for Liming DDPhos is pH neutralising, significantly reducing your requirement for liming while helping build long term soil health.

Improved Environmental Sustainability Cit. Sol. ≥ 38%. Cadmium ≤ 2ppm

Turn your Phosphate applications into profit and reduce the amount of Phosphate that is being lost to the environment.

At Dickie Direct we custom blend and supply a complete range of Fertilisers, Trace Elements and Biological Enhancers, delivered direct to your farm North Island wide. For more information please visit our website or contact your local Dickie Direct Area Manager.

Effective Microorganisms (EM) is a certified microbial inoculant that is a low cost way to enhance your soil and livestock. 0800 43 42 54 | WWW.DICKIEDIRECT.CO.NZ

For product purchases and information visit www.emnz.co.nz Phone 03 374 6323 • Email: info@emnz.co.nz

LK0106319©

Improved Phosphate Utilisation

News

10 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Investing in consumers’ trust Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz MEAT companies are using the Taste Pure Nature brand alongside their own brands as they target environmentally-conscious foodie consumers. Beef + Lamb NZ (B+LNZ) market development manager Nick Beeby told the organisation’s annual meeting that this demographic cares where their food comes from and are heavily influenced by digital channels such as food websites and bloggers who focus on natural foods. They are considered a significant opportunity for NZ red meat sales, and Beeby says during the covid-19 pandemic consumers were increasingly discerning with their purchases, which was underpinned by the message associated with the B+LNZ-developed Taste Pure Nature brand. “Consumers chose meat products that are better tasting, nutritious and satisfy environmental concerns,” Beeby said. While possibly having some knowledge of NZ, he says these target consumers tend to have little knowledge about the different production systems for red meat, a role Taste Pure Nature is designed to fill. Their expectation is that meat companies and farmers will have to meet such values as trust and traceability, but of more importance is NZ’s holistic story, the environment, animal welfare and product health. “Consumers are saying they want products that will not leave the climate, soil or water any worse off,” he said. “This is a topic that is not going to go away.” Online sales in the United States in August 2019 were $1.2 billion but a year later, soared to $7.2b, a trend he expects to continue to grow.

NEW NORM: Beef + Lamb NZ market development manager Nick Beeby says the ever-growing demand from consumers who want to know the story behind their purchases is a market that producers will have to target.

Alliance Group sales manager Shane Kingston says the Taste Pure Nature brand builds trust, reputation and loyalty among red meat consumers.

Consumers chose meat products that are better tasting, nutritious and satisfy environmental concerns. Nick Beeby B+LNZ However, NZ needs to spend more on marketing. Kingston says NZ currently spends $8 per metric tonne, Australia $34 and Wales $59. The potential returns from boosting this investment are significant. A recent four-week joint US promotion in 528 US stores between Alliance, Silver Fern

Minimum investment $50,0002

Farms and Anzco, resulted in interaction with 9.2 million shoppers, of which 76% were new to NZ red meat. Sales over those four weeks were up 100%, and Kingston says the exporters expect to retain support and interest from about 10% of those they interacted with, potentially increasing sales by millions of dollars. “We’ve got to spend the money in the marketplace, that ultimately is the accelerant for us,” Kingston said. B+LNZ chair Andrew Morrison told the annual meeting that dealing with 2020 was an extraordinary success story for the agri-sector. Despite covid-19 limitations, red meat exports reached a record $9.2b and he says that was a tribute to the Ministry for Primary Industries for enabling meat companies to continue to operate, and to meat companies for repositioning product in 120 countries when foodservice demand dried up. “If we didn’t have essential service status, it would have been a reasonably dark time,” he said.

Pohangina catchment event a success Colin Williscroft colin.williscroft@globalhq.co.nz THE popularity of farmerled river catchment groups continues to grow, with the Pohangina Catchment Care Group attracting more than 80 people to a community event on Sunday. Group chair Matthew Carroll says the group only kicked into gear in August last year, and Sunday’s workshop was the first significant public event since then. They had no idea how many people were going to show up, and were very pleased with the turnout at Camp Rangi Woods at Totara Reserve. The event began with a freshwater quality assessment by Massey University freshwater ecologist Professor Russell Death, who lives in the area. Death says when it comes to waterway health, the buck stops with individuals. “If you are concerned about your waterways, it’s up to you to do something about it,” Death said. To help those at the workshop assess the health of rivers and streams in their area, Death handed out a stream health checklist designed for landowners to help them

assess critical aspects of their waterway as an indication of its current level of ecological health. The assessment can be used to identify management practices to help improve the waterway’s ecosystem health. He says if there are problems, they should work out what they are first, then ways to solve them. There was little point spending money fencing off waterways from stock if the real problem was something else entirely. Carroll says the group is currently testing water at 11 sites in the area, all of which is fully-funded by dedicated locals, a cost of about $650 a month. Horizons Regional Council has another two testing sites in the catchment. The aim is to collect three years’ worth of data to get a better understanding of waterway trends in the catchment. Other presenters included Horizons fish passage team member Nina Robb, Te Mauri o Rangitāne o Manawatū Te Ao Turoa environmental officer Paul Horton, Trees for Bees botanist and trustee Dr Linda Newstrom-Lloyd and Ruahine Whio Protectors volunteer Ian Rasmussen.

TOXIC: Professor Russell Death explains the danger of cyanobacteria, an algae that can kill dogs, to those at the Pohangina Catchment Care Group event.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

ORC breaks down proposed rates Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz MEETING the cost of government policy will soak up the bulk of a proposed 47.5% rise in Otago Regional Council (ORC) rates next year. Of the proposed increase for 2021-22, 44% is to fund unplanned work such as freshwater reforms imposed by the Government and a council decision last year to use $4.9m of reserves rather than increase rates due to the covid-19 pandemic. “So, to break it down, to fund the unplanned work and the covid-19 general reserve offset equates to a 44% increase to general rates,” an ORC discussion document states. “That’s before any new LongTerm Plan funding is even factored in.” The proposed rates rise comprises a 72.3% general rate rise, equivalent to an average $80 increase per household, and a 29.3% targeted rates increase. There is no comparison provided for what farmers will pay. Another challenge facing the ORC is government pressure to implement its delayed water plan, which includes replacing mining rights to use water with consents. The impact of government

PLAN: Otago Regional Council’s preferred rate setting option, as set out in its Long-Term Plan, will see rate rises of 17% in 2022-23, 10.6% in 2023-24 and then average 3.5% through to 2030-31.

policy such as replacing the Resource Management Act (RMA) with three new pieces of legislation, new staff and resources to address water quality policy accounts for a 35% rate increase from 2020-21. The council is also planning to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by investing in public transport, make changes to the way it manages pests, balance its budget and reprioritise the restoration of waterways.

The council’s preferred rate setting option, as set out in its Long-Term Plan, will see subsequent rate rises of 17% in 2022-23, 10.6% in 2023-24 and then average 3.5% through to 2030-31. Total income for 2021-22 is $97m, of which about $40m is from rates, rising to $65m in 203031. Council chair Andrew Noone acknowledged the scale of increase compared to what

ratepayers have had in the past. “Unfortunately, those low rates are no longer sustainable with the work programme in front of us,” Noone said. “Catching up with the 0% general rates rise that we absorbed last year during covid-19 lockdown, as well as the extra resource taken on in science and regulation this year, meant a 35% total rates increase before we even began to consider the next 10 years.” The big areas of new spending between 2020-21 and 2021-22 are an extra $9.9m for environment, $3.6m more for transport, $1.3m for safety and resilience, and $4.8m for regional leadership. “We’re investing in more comprehensive and detailed environmental monitoring and science, to give us the best information basis for managing land, water and biodiversity in Otago,” he said. “We’re ramping up our policy work on a new Land and Water Regional Plan that sets out the rules and policies to protect Otago’s environmental values in line with national direction. And, we’re improving our regulatory function, which includes more capacity for consenting and compliance.” Other targeted areas are in

Unfortunately, those low rates are no longer sustainable with the work programme in front of us. Andrew Noone Otago Regional Council

climate change and providing better public transport and work to get people out of their cars and onto buses. The council has also identified that resourcing for pest management in biosecurity does not meet community expectations or achieve the Regional Pest Management Plan’s (RPMP) intended outcomes. “To achieve Otago’s objectives in biosecurity and biodiversity, increased investment and increasing our resourcing capacity and capability is needed to undertake new areas of work and expand services,” he said. Its preferred option will cost $3.3m through a regional targeted rate to fund extra staff for education, engagement and enforcement.

Olam sells stake in Open Country SINGAPORE’S Olam International says it has sold its 15.19% stake in Open Country Dairy Talley Group for approximately $80.9 million through Talley’s takeover offer in February. Olam included the information in its 2020 annual report under “divestments of deprioritised assets”. Before the takeover offer cited by Olam, Talley’s held a 77% stake in the New Zealand dairy company, according to the NZ Companies Office.

Open Country reported $1.6 billion of revenue in the year to September 30, 2020, versus $1.4b in the prior year. Net profit was $68m versus $31m in the prior period. Open Country is NZ’s secondlargest dairy producer. It began production as Open Country Cheese at Waharoa near Matamata in 2004 and was the first major independent export processor following deregulation of the dairy industry. Talley’s then acquired a stake

in 2007, through the controlling interest it acquired in meat processor Affco the year before. Olam’s involvement also dates back to 2007 when it bought a stake in Open Country Cheese. Since then, Open Country Dairy has established plants at Horotiu near Hamilton, in Whanganui and at Awarua. They are all at or near Affco plants. Company officials from Open Country Dairy and Talley’s were not immediately available to comment.

MAJORITY: Talley’s held a 77% stake in the New Zealand dairy company, according to the NZ Companies Office.

Teamwork. It’s CRUCIAL. ®

Contact your local Rural Supplier to purchase CRUCIAL today.

ONF205415FW

0800 NUFARM or visit us at nufarm.co.nz/discovercrucial

®CRUCIAL and ®Nail 600EC are registered trademarks of Nufarm Australia Limited.

News

12 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Trade report welcomed but ‘tricky’ Colin Williscroft colin.williscroft@globalhq.co.nz A UK report recommending it should liberalise trade in agricultural products with countries that meet its own standards of farming practices has been welcomed by Trade Minister Damien O’Connor, but he warns there is a lot of detail to go through before that can become a reality. Last week’s issue of Farmers Weekly reported on work commissioned by the UK’s Trade and Agriculture Commission on how to negotiate new agricultural export opportunities without threatening the viability of British farming by flooding its domestic market with cheap imported food from countries with lower environmental and animal welfare standards. Former NZ Trade Minister Lockwood Smith, one of the authors of the report, says one of its recommendations was that the UK could provide tariff-free access to countries that can meet its standards in those areas. O’Connor says that is good news for New Zealand farmers, but there are plenty of differences between NZ and UK farming

PATIENCE: Todd Muller says the time it takes to get a free trade deal with the UK is less important than making sure an agreement can be reached.

systems that make it complicated. “There are different perceptions on what is best animal welfare practice and so the idea of using this as a non-tariff trade barrier is a really tricky one, and not one that at this point I think needs to be included in trade negotiations. “However, we appreciate the fact that they have acknowledged our animal welfare standards and that’s useful, but those provisions

have not yet been included in WTO guidelines for trade and it would be a whole new concept.” He says there is already alignment between the UK and NZ, both historic and modern, in terms of NZ’s focus on climate change, emissions reduction, animal welfare, good environmental oversight and management. “They are all bottom lines for

trade and ensuring the relative merits of each of them. They’ll be points for discussion, but we hope not the final points in negotiation,” he said. What it does mean is that it’s not the time to take the foot off the pedal in improving environmental standards on NZ farms. “When we point out what we are doing in terms of good freshwater standards, good animal welfare standards, that’s a reassurance to their partners and to those that we’re negotiating with that we’re on the same path with the same objectives, but if we get into the technical areas, it gets very tricky,” he said. O’Connor says negotiating a free trade agreement with the European Union around those standards is even more complex. “They aspire for the same things for their partners, but the environments and the layouts of the individual member countries in the EU are quite different, so they have to have broad objectives rather than detailed requirements.” He agrees with comments made by Smith that NZ’s focus in negotiations with the UK needs to be on establishing open access in

the medium-term. “We’re ultimately trying to reduce all barriers to trade. That’s the objective but it’s a process; firstly reaching agreement on a free trade deal and then to ensure that provisions in the deal phase out the barriers that still might be in place.” Opposition trade spokesperson Todd Muller says the UK report is good news, given it makes the case for a move towards freer trade, both with Europe and globally, in a British context. Muller is encouraged that the sentiments expressed are that the UK agricultural sector should not be worried about free trade with other countries, as long as those countries have the same commitment to the environment and sustainable production, along with animal welfare standards. “If that is what is informing British negotiators, then NZ should not be fearful as we are meeting those standards,” Muller said. He says there will always be aspects that need to be improved, but NZ is already one of the best animal protein producers in the world, so there is a good story to tell.

UK trade talks going nowhere, slowly IT APPEARS that Britain’s trade negotiators haven’t yet caught up with the news that their farmers want tariffs on imported agricultural products scrapped. Ditching high tariffs on agricultural products from countries which meet the same environmental and animal welfare standards as British farmers was one of 22 recommendations made by British Trade Minister Liz Truss’ Trade and Agriculture Commission earlier this month. Britain’s farmers were fully represented on the commission by the representatives of the English, Welsh and Scottish branches of

the UK’s peak farming lobby, the National Farmers Union (NFU), along with several other farmer bodies.

There is some doubt it is going to be much better than the last one. Trade lobbyist The report’s recommendations were unanimously supported by the commission’s 14 members, which also included British

Calciprill ®

retailer Tesco and veterinary and trade experts. However, it appears the British government has not yet got the memo if its latest agricultural market access offer in free trade talks with New Zealand is anything to go by. “It was thrown straight in the rubbish, it’s so bad,” said a source close to the NZ negotiating team. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website, both sides following the conclusion of the third round of negotiations in early February agreed to table revised market access offers before the beginning of the fourth round of talks in April. And while the revised UK offer

was not expected till later this week, several trade sources said expectations were not high. “There is some doubt it is going to be much better than the last one,” one local trade lobbyist said. One NZ dairy company executive said it would be disappointing if the UK government ignored the findings of its own commission. “The whole point of the UK getting out of the EU was to get away from this trade policy where you stake out these minimalist, quite frankly pathetic positions like the EU’s agricultural market access offer and actually back yourself to succeed in a globalised food economy,” they said. However, former NZ Trade

Minister Lockwood Smith, who joined the Trade and Agriculture Commission as an international trade expert last July, was more hopeful. He says he was as alarmed as anybody after hearing of the UK’s initial agricultural market access offer to NZ and had contacted Truss’ office for reassurances. “The thing that encourages me that [Truss] is wanting to see liberalisation and as far as she is concerned the UK has not even made its goods offer to NZ properly yet,” Smith said. The Trade and Agriculture Commission’s report was tabled in the British Parliament earlier this month, but she has yet to formally respond to its recommendations.

leaves all other limes for dust! Application rate guide (kg/ha)* Soil type

Topdressed 0.5 pH increase

Direct drilled or air seeded

Sand/loamy sand

300

Sandy/silt loam

500

125

Clay/loamy clay

625

150

10-15% organic matter

750

175

+25% organic matter

1000

200

*Omya recommends you soil test recularly and seek advice from independent agricultural professionals

Look for Calciprill on www.omya.com/nz-en

A 2-6mm lime granule made in Waikato from finely ground high purity limestone. • Cost effective • Low in dust, easy to spread • Breaks down rapidly in moisture • Can be applied using your own equipment • 95% < 75 microns

Ian Campbell 021 271 5963 ian.campbell@omya.com

LK0106460©

Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com

Bank of backing agribusiness Creating sustainability for the long haul Managing your agribusiness’ financial and environmental sustainability can be tough. So it’s good to know there’s a bank that can help. Not just with practical support and information, but with capital solutions too. Speak to one of our local agribusiness specialists today. Visit bnz.co.nz/agribusiness

Lending criteria, terms and fees apply.

News

14 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Scales well-positioned for Villa Maria play SCALES has been canvasing agriculture and horticulture investment options for some time and is well-positioned to venture into winemaking if it buys Villa Maria Estates. The NZX-listed agribusiness confirmed it’s participating in the sale process, but warned there’s “no certainty that its participation will result in any transaction,” it said in a statement to NZX. The Australian Financial Review’s Street Talk column –

long-used by investment banks across the Tasman to spruik their wares – reported Scales gazumped rivals with its bid for the winemaker, which had a price tag around A$200 million. If the deal is inked, Scales may need to raise equity to fund the acquisition, Street Talk reported. “Scales continues to explore a range of growth opportunities, including acquisitions, and our policy is not to comment on media speculation,” it said. The agribusiness had a $97.6m

MUM: Villa Maria has been coy about the sale process, pointing to a planned capital review and calling the reports “purely speculative”.

war chest at the end of 2020 for growth opportunities, although it talked up its burgeoning pet food business when reporting its annual result in February. Villa Maria wasn’t immediately available for comment. The winemaker has been coy about the sale process, pointing to a planned capital review and calling the reports “purely speculative”. The process was initially expected to wrap up by the end of March. Accolade Wines, which owns the local Mud House Wines brand, had indicated it was keen on kicking the tyres, although local rivals such as Delegat, Booster Wine Group and Foley Wines weren’t as interested. Other suitors were said to include Constellation Brands and Pernod Ricard. Villa Maria ended a 10-year exclusive sales partnership with Washington-based winemaker Ste Michelle Wine Estates, signing Winebow Imports as its new exclusive import representative in the US as part of its drive to grow sales in the world’s biggest economy. – BusinessDesk

BE SELF-AWARE: Federated Farmers Southland vice-president Bernadette Hunt says farmers need to be on top of their game as animal welfare activists and environmentalists will be monitoring their performance this winter.

Chance to plan for winter grazing

success of farmers’ winter grazing practice will not be judged by photographs posted by critics on social media, but by Environment FARMERS are being urged to Southland analysis. adopt careful winter grazing Neither Parker nor Primary management this year, with Industries Minister Damian leaders fearing critics will use a O’Connor could provide farming reprieve from new government groupsP with metrics oniswhat regulations to hunt out examples Fact 1. The overuse of soluble fertiliser by far the la they deemed a successful winter of poor practice. Fact 2. Once you have Olsen P levels that are more tha grazing season, but Hunt says they The Government has given environment. farmers 12 months’ grace from far- acknowledged that heavy rain any paddock muddy. reaching new winter grazing rules Fact 3. If you want to buildwould up turn your soil P in an environ She says farming leaders and the future direction of those in a sustained for plants. will judge success on receiving regulations dependsfashion on how well calls raising concerns farmers manage their livestock Fact 4. There is nothing toproactive lose and everything to gain or questions about crop and environment this winter. (sulphur 90) is far more efficient than excess sulpha management thatthe can be acted on Federated Farmers Southland and farmers adopting advice. vice-president Bernadette Hunt Fact 5. Following 1-4 aboveThe will greatly reduce P run-o Government included in says farmers need to be on top huge amounts money! its Essential Freshwater package of their game as animalof welfare on intensive activists and environmentalists Fact 6. It is nonsensical totighter givecontrols in to pressure to install winter grazing such as limits could use the 12-month reprieve idea of their and maintenance to pugging, restricting crops to to photograph andlong-term film examples effectiveness paddocks with a mean slope of of poor practice this winter. Fact 7. in any case simple 10 fenced-off 3-metre wide gra degrees or less and dates when She is urging farmers to record bacterial andtheir sediment have any sig grazed Neither crops must will be replanted. how they manage crops, to losses. If farmers could not meet be proactive before stocking their strips can be harvested in those summer to be fed out, to im requirements, they needed paddocks that buffer zones are in Factand 8.critical In a nutshell, Ptheir levels any ge resource consent of from place source areas for are maintenance regional council. appropriately managed. situations or low rainfall, useIn atheblend of RPR and high-a coming year, a winter Farmers who have concerns Fact N,about rather urea, use prilled ur grazing management module now or 9. overFor winter the than granular will be developed, tested and way crop paddocks are set up cut in half with big savings. deployed. or managed during winter are Factto10. Potash is more efficient, and must less likely to It was initiated by an Intensive urged contact Federated Winter Grazing group made up Farmers, DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb annual amount you are using now. Easy to mix with yo of livestock bodies, Federated NZ or Environment Southland, so For more info, email Bert Quin on bert.quin@q Farmers, Environment Southland farmers can be approached and and Fish & Game, and Hunt says offered advice. A telephone hotline is also being written plans and monitored wintering activities will count established so concerns can be towards that module. lodged, and Hunt says all bodies “I encourage farmers to write are taking an educational rather down how they are managing their than punitive approach. crops, what their plans are for During winter, farmers should adverse weather, how they have regularly record how their crops placed the bales in crop paddocks, are being managed and paddock how they are mitigating risks and conditions by taking photographs managing critical source areas to counter those from farm critics. and to record what they do with Hunt also wants farmers to photographs,” Hunt said. post on social media examples of She says a year’s reprieve means excellent winter crop management farmers can focus on planning to show that farmers are doing an and preparing for winter grazing excellent job. rather than chasing bureaucracy She says Environment Minister as would have been the case. David Parker has told her the Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz

NEW FROM

Ten Basic Fertiliser Facts You

Dr Bert Quin

Bert Quin DrDrBert Quin

Ten Basic Fertiliser Facts You Must Know an

Fact 1. The overuse of soluble P fertiliser is by far the largest cause of P run-off Fact 2. Once you have Olsen P levels that are more than a third of the P retenti environment. Fact 3. If you want to build up your soil P in an environmentally-protective way in a sustained fashion for plants. Fact 4. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. RPR-based fertilisers ar (sulphur 90) is far more efficient than the excess sulphate in super. Fact 5. Following 1-4 above will greatly reduce P run-off and leaching. This sho huge amounts of money! Fact 6. It is nonsensical to give in to pressure to install expensive mitigations r idea of their long-term effectiveness and maintenance costs, and before you h Fact 7. in any case simple fenced-off 3-metre wide grass riparian strips are esse bacterial and sediment losses. Neither will have any significant long-term bene strips can be harvested in summer to be fed out, to improve P and N cycling. Fact 8. In a nutshell, for maintenance of P levels any genuine RPR (not an RPR/B situations or low rainfall, use a blend of RPR and high-analysis soluble P. Fact 9. For N, rather than granular urea, use prilled urea, sprayed immediately cut in half with big savings. Fact 10. Potash is more efficient, and must less likely to cause metabolic proble annual amount you are using now. Easy to mix with your prilled urea. Leaching For more info, email Bert Quin on bert.quin@quinfert.co.nz, or pho

Quinfert Hi-Lime RPRV2 0-10-0-3 NPKS plus 36% Ca

Only $345+gst/tonne ex Waikato depot, $385+gst ex Canterbury • Contains 100 kg P/tonne, all present as Algerian RPR V2

• Minimal P leaching or runoff, no Boucraa waste or manufacturing rock present • 70% liming value, similar to many commercial limes! • Only one annual application required

• Suitable for aerial and surface spreading – max 2% moisture

• To maintain soil pH and soil P supply, apply annually at 25 kg/ ha per stock unit (drystock) or 40 kg/ha per 100 kg milksolids/ha dairy

• Up to 45% cheaper applied than alternative lime, P and S maintenance options Quinfert Hi-Lime RPR V2 – the regenerative farming solution

Call Quinfert on 0800 784 633 or Bert Quin direct on 021 427 572 www.quinfert.co.nz

LK0106170©

• Add any additional S required as highly efficient S90 or as pHneutral S90/lime mix

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Remembering Holmes Warren Geoff Prickett WITH the passing of Holmes Warren of Turanganui on March 7, the farming world has lost a great stalwart and advocate, and a pioneering sheep breeder. All those farmers who enjoyed their own relationship with Holmes through buying rams or through the Wairarapa Romney Improvement Group, or just as friends and neighbours, will have their own memories of Holmes. Holmes’ father died when Holmes was still at school. So it was that after a couple of years working on the Matthews’ Waiorongomai property, Holmes, who was born on August 2, 1928, returned to Tūranganui in 1948. He was still there 72 years later, chipping thistles and taking an active part in discussions about the farm and all things farming. Much of that time – certainly that for which Holmes was best known – was taken up with his work with Romneys and his development of the Tūranganui Stud. Speaking at Holmes’ farewell in Martinborough, a long-time friend and associate commented on what gave Holmes a head start in the sheep breeding revolution of the 1950s and 1960s. “His ability to first observe, accumulate and assimilate knowledge, and then use it was exemplary. He was a scientist of his own making. Questioning and experimenting gave him the edge on many emerging concepts throughout his career,” Holmes’ friend said. The 50s and 60s were years of revolutionary change for the sheep industry. Nothing less than a redesign to create a sheep fit for purpose. Holmes was very much in the forefront of this development. Driven by his search for the best, the Tūranganui Stud attracted ram buyers from all over New Zealand, with many inter-

GREAT LOSS: Romney breeding pioneer Holmes Warren died earlier this month, aged 92.

His ability to first observe, accumulate and assimilate knowledge, and then use it was exemplary. He was a scientist of his own making. Friend and associate of Holmes generational buyers returning year after year. In 1970, along with the late John Daniell of Wairere, he helped establish the Wairarapa Romney Improvement Group. Half a century later, it still contributes to

sheep farming in general and the Romney breed in particular. In 1993 Holmes was awarded the MBE for services to the NZ sheep industry. His reputation earned Holmes international respect. In 1997, Holmes and his wife Adrienne were invited to Wales to discuss with local sheep farmers how to move towards a more scientific and commerciallybased industry. Holmes was more than a sheep farmer. He established 1200ha of commercial forest in the Wairarapa. His cattle operations were largely designed to fit in with the sheep and cropping to rejuvenate the pastures for sheep. The mana Holmes earned during his farming life was earned not only by his achievements; he was a man of innate natural

courtesy and generosity to all. He was a great talker and a great listener too, and he enjoyed nothing more than a passionate discussion on the ups and downs, and the details and complexities of the farming life, the land and the wider world in NZ and beyond. As a personal reminiscence, 60 years ago I recall Holmes commuting from Tūranganui past my parents’ farm to his hill block – known as The Ranch – in a small Fordson truck. In a world full of the extravagance of the wealthy, Holmes chose a modest lifestyle. An old friend of Holmes put it more strongly, “Holmes abhorred ostentation”. He became known for his love of the old Honda 90 motorbikes,

buying his first in the late-1960s and wearing many out over the years. On weekends he could be seen pottering around the farm with Adrienne on their Honda 90s. In his 80s he still rode 8ks to the hill farm for a scramble around the steep hills on his trusty little Honda 90. Holmes was a countryman, through and through. In his younger days he was a keen deer hunter, shooting in the southern Haurangi ranges. He was a lifelong duck shooter, demonstrating his addiction when he bought a new shotgun at the age of 90. Holmes’ wife Adrienne died 11 years ago, leaving a huge hole in his life. He leaves behind his son Michael, daughter-in-law Robyn and grandchildren Jane, Guy and William.

Outstanding strength. It’s CRUCIAL. ®

Contact your local Rural Supplier to purchase CRUCIAL today.

ONF205415FW

0800 NUFARM or visit us at nufarm.co.nz/discovercrucial

®CRUCIAL is a registered trademark of Nufarm Australia Limited.

News

16 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

UAE ripe for NZ agri-tech Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz DESPITE currently importing 90% of its food, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is committed to increasing its ability to feed itself better, and offers plentiful opportunities for New Zealand agri-tech firms to achieve that. Trade commissioner and consul-general to the UAE and Qatar Kevin McKenna told delegates at this year’s MobileTech Ag conference that the nation views NZ very favourably. It is keen to engage with tech firms capable of helping the nation intensify its agricultural systems in a country dominated by desert and unfriendly growing conditions. “NZ is the UAE’s second largest export source of food and beverage, and our 10th largest trade partner for goods and services,” McKenna said. “It is an essential gateway to Africa, and along with Saudi Arabia is two of our fastest growing export markets.” The country has witnessed significant population growth over the past few years, from 4.1 million in 2005 to about 11m today, comprising 72% males and 28% females. The challenge for authorities wanting to ramp up food production are highly apparent in a country dominated by “desert, mountains and more desert”. About 66% of water-use is committed to agricultural production already, and conditions often reach 50degC.

Prime Consulting trade consultant Alpha Kennedy says there are a number of pain points for the country’s intended intensification programme, in addition to the hard growing conditions. “But they are always looking for tech to address this challenge and are very curious,” Kennedy said. “The low rainfall environment means desalination makes water expensive, and while the cost is subsidised by the Government, it would like to end those subsidies.” As a result, climate resilient seeds, sensors and improved irrigation technology are all on industry radar. The initiative to increase the country’s self-sufficiency has been driven by the Ministry for Climate Change and Environment, with a focus on increased food diversity of type and source. Growth across the UAE’s primary sector has already been impressive, with an average of 4% increase a year, with horticulture up by 6% a year and milk doubling in production over five years. “And this is distributed quite broadly across the country and includes vertical farming, and fish farming,” he said. The Government only last year committed $US200 million to vertical farming technology. The growth in food sufficiency is shared across all the Gulf states, in a market valued at about US$20 billion. “These countries are standing on the start line for massive

RELATIONSHIP: New Zealand is the UAE’s second largest export source of food and beverage, and our 10th largest trade partner for goods and services.

expansion in horticulture and aquaculture, seeking solutions as a customer willing to listen and more importantly, willing to pay,” he said. But the UAE’s aspirations to increase food production are also limited by a dire skills shortage. Its agri-education sector is underdeveloped with only one limited tertiary facility and limited technical knowledge in areas of stock husbandry and crop management. Kennedy described a 4000-stock unit sheep operation that had 25 staff. “The traditional answer has been to just put more people into it as you scale it up,” he said. As a result, migrant workers play a significant role in operation management, and account for

a large portion of the country’s population and skills across multiple sectors. A lack of agri-production data, often hoarded by officials also makes estimating volumes and values even more challenging. Farm management and training software offers another potential agri-tech entry point for Kiwi firms. Kennedy cautioned the opportunities are good, but not likely to last with Australia and Israel both focusing hard on agritech there. “But they (UAE) will give NZ companies the time, and chance to demonstrate. But ultimately they are moving forward quickly with this transformation programme, even the Dutch are there,” he said.

These countries are standing on the start line for massive expansion in horticulture and aquaculture, seeking solutions as a customer willing to listen and more importantly, willing to pay. Alpha Kennedy Prime Consulting International “It would be a real shame if NZ-based products are not part of that mix.”

Lack of interest in IT Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz YOUNG schoolchildren are more likely to aspire to flip burgers or be professional sports stars than be engaged in computer programming and IT, despite their ever-growing reliance upon the technology in their lives. NZ Tech chief executive Graeme Muller has highlighted the disjoint between New Zealand’s aspirations to grow its tech industry, including agri-tech, and the lack of engagement of future job seekers with the sector. He was addressing delegates at this year’s Mobile Tech Ag conference in Rotorua. Muller pointed to a Tertiary Education Commission survey done of 7200 primary school children that found their number one job preference was “professional sports person”, with 17.6% taking that option. That compared to 6.3% wanting to be a vet and 4.7% a social media influencer. “IT and programmers were

.5%, nearly on par with handbag designer and fast-food worker. They also put IT alongside beauty salon worker and truck driver. This is scary because IT is the industry growing the most jobs at the moment,” Muller said.

This is scary because IT is the industry growing the most jobs at the moment. Graeme Muller NZ Tech The survey found children were most influenced by what they see, and the sector which sits so widely behind so much of modern life needs to expose more children to what it does and is, to take them along, he says. Perhaps even more concerning was a 2019 survey of secondary

age students that emphasised the lack of engagement with IT opportunities. Despite digital technology now being compulsory from year one to 10, only 30% of NCEA students were advancing to take a digital tech course, and over the last decade the number taking it has declined by 50%. “And of the 40,000 kids taking the subjects that would qualify to take an IT degree, only 1850 move into IT degrees,” he said. Muller says there is a focus now on developing a pathway to a more apprenticeship approach, getting students a job at the start of their qualification. “And a whole bunch of work needs to be done to raise awareness at secondary level about what is out there,” he said. The sector’s reliance upon cherry picking skilled migrant staff has also not helped build domestic worker capacity for future growth. Of 4400 new IT jobs created, the sector imported 3680 staff to fill them.

DISINTEREST: NZ Tech chief executive Graeme Muller is concerned young school-age children rank “handbag designer” ahead of IT for preferred job option.

“There is not a digital skill shortage, but rather a digital skill mismatch. Most of the new jobs being created are for advanced skills, hence immigrants,” he said. Organisations that do have training budgets spent less than 10% of that on upskilling existing staff.

Estimates are that by 2023, 50% of planned automation and digitisation efforts will be delayed or fail due to underinvestment in IT and software development teams. “Do not think of it as something you can just buy off the shelf, you need to think how to connect with tertiary providers,” he said.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Food waste strategy is needed Gerald Piddock gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz NEW Zealand needs to adopt a nationwide food waste reduction strategy as the country looks to recover from the impact of covid-19 and grapples with the effects of climate change. Having such a strategy would positively impact both of these issues, NZ Food Waste Champions 12.3 coordinator Tessa Vincent said at the inaugural Food Waste Summit in Auckland. The day-long summit brought together people from all sections of the food production chain, as well as academics and politicians to find solutions to reduce the amount of food wasted in NZ. Vincent says covid-19 had highlighted both the fragility of NZ’s food supply chain and the value of food. “We need to call on decisionmakers to call on food waste reduction as part of our covid-19 recovery plan,” Vincent said. Reducing food waste was also a key climate change solution. It was something everyone could do when they ate their dinner every night. Food waste reduction needed to be included in climate change strategies. She says reducing food waste is a tangible climate change action where everyone had a role to play. The organisation wants to halve NZ’s food waste by 2030. One-third of the food that is produced globally is wasted. “That’s not good enough and such an issue requires people from all across the spectrum of the food supply chain to come together,” she said. Otago University associate professor Miranda Mirosa says at this stage, it is unknown exactly how much food is wasted in NZ. Mirosa authored a briefing

to Parliament’s Environment Committee to investigate food waste in NZ that was published in March last year. That report cited a 2016 Ministry for the Environment (MfE) estimation of 571,000 tonnes of food entering landfills nationwide. It also said the National Food Waste Prevention Project estimated households sent 229,002t of food waste to landfills, of which 54% (122,547t) could have been eaten in 2014. In dollar terms, this amounted to $872 million, or $563 per household, each year.

The New Zealand government needs to provide strong leadership in this area. It needs to invest in innovation to support initiatives that reduce food loss and waste. Miranda Mirosa Otago University When food decomposes in landfills it releases methane and the 122,547t dumped in 2014 emitted an estimated 325,975t of greenhouse gases. The MfE estimate from 2016 estimated that more than 1.5million tonnes of emissions were produced. Mirosa says that given NZ’s brand relied so heavily on its clean, green reputation, there was every reason to ensure food waste was kept to a minimum, particularly in primary production. “Global estimates attribute between 21-36% of food loss in this first stage of the supply chain,” Mirosa said.

In Australia, that figure was estimated at 31%. Food is lost in production from weather events as well as market conditions, which caused farmers to throw out edible food. “If the price of produce in the market is lower than the costs of harvesting … then farmers are forced to leave these crops unharvested,” she said. She says there are many opportunities for the sector to reduce waste. “The New Zealand government needs to provide strong leadership in this area. It needs to invest in innovation to support initiatives that reduce food loss and waste,” she said. One of these initiatives is establishing a voluntary commitment programme where businesses set targets and measured food waste. Food producers also needed to look at further ways to expand and encourage food donations. She says more schemes such as Meat the Need and Fairgrow are needed. The sector also required more innovation and collaboration to reduce food loss and increase the amount of food that made it to market or to New Zealanders in need. Consumers also needed to play their part in what they ate by choosing ‘imperfect’ produce or products made with recycled items or ingredients. Labour list MP Angie WarrenClark says the Government had started conversations around food waste in NZ and its link to climate change following the release of the briefing. The next step was to create a roadmap that looked at the country’s entire food system and where wastage solutions could be found along the supply chain. This map is expected to be released next month.

MOTIVATION: Otago University associate professor Miranda Mirosa says that given NZ’s brand relied so heavily on its clean, green reputation, there was every reason to ensure food waste was kept to a minimum.

Spray once, spray right. It’s CRUCIAL. ®

Contact your local Rural Supplier to purchase CRUCIAL today.

ONF205415FW

0800 NUFARM or visit us at nufarm.co.nz/discovercrucial

®CRUCIAL is a registered trademark of Nufarm Australia Limited.

News

18 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Preparing for the next big SI quake Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz THE next big Alpine Fault earthquake is inevitable and there is a high chance it will be magnitude 8. While it is not going to break the nation, it will cause a lot of stress, Canterbury University Professor Thomas Wilson says. Speaking to high country farmers at a field day in the Lees Valley, Thomas presented AF8 (Alpine Fault magnitude 8 earthquake), a programme of scientific modelling, coordinated response planning and community engagement designed to build collective resilience to the next Alpine Fault earthquake across the South Island. “While we can’t predict when earthquakes will occur, we can prepare for them,” Thomas said. Scientific research has shown that the South Island’s Alpine Fault has an unusually regular history of producing large earthquakes. Over the past 8000 years, the Alpine Fault has ruptured 27 times, on average that’s every 300 years with the longest interval being 510 years and the shortest 140 years. Of the last nine earthquakes, eight appear to have been greater We all have a part than magnitude 8. The last significant quake on the to play and it will be neighbours looking after Alpine Fault was in 1717. “The message is we are in high neighbours in isolated probability that the next severe rural areas. earthquake on the Alpine Fault is likely to occur within the lifetime of most of us, or our children,” he Brian Paton said. Civil Defence Research conducted by the University of Canterbury, University of Otago and GNS groups and science, including Science has assessed some of research from six universities the environmental impacts that and Crown Research Institutes, can be expected from the next emergency services, lifelines, iwi, earthquake of magnitude 8 or health authorities and many other greater on the Alpine Fault. partner agencies. Until now, there has been no Thomas says Alpine Fault comprehensive study of the science continues at pace impacts a rupture would have with new research focusing on people living in communities on understanding the impacts across the South Island, or on and consequences of a future infrastructure. earthquake, as well as continuing AF8 is a collaboration between to build knowledge of the the six South Island Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) FARMERS WEEKLY HALF PAGE 265W Xfundamentals 100H MM of the fault itself.

ON IT’S WAY: Canterbury University Professor Thomas Wilson warns high country farmers the next Alpine Fault earthquake is inevitable. Photo: Annette Scott

Marlborough Civil Defence emergency manager Brian Paton says the science-based scenario development to inform response planning reports a magnitude 8 quake causing major cascading consequences and secondary hazards, with significant human, environmental, infrastructure and economic impact. “To develop a plan, we need to know how bad it can be,” Paton said. “We need to have a coordinated response and we are working on a centralised South Island plan rather than each region devising its own plan. “With a 400km-long fault line, this will be a logistical problem from one end to the other.” There will be widespread secondary hazards such as landslides that will present immediate and long-term issues; likely isolation of areas for long periods of time and extended utility service outages

such as electricity, water and communications. “Your first responder is going to be your neighbour, not agency responders,” he said. “We learnt a whole heap of lessons from the Kaikoura quake and how we can help people like you – high country farmers and your communities. “We all have a part to play and it will be neighbours looking after neighbours in isolated rural areas.” Paton urged farmers to have a large water supply for homes, a generator and a significant amount of fuel. “Consider access tracks, know how you will cope if you are going to be on your own,” he said. The framework of the AF8 programme is designed to bring all the learnings together and share them with emergency response agencies to improve coordination and collective response capability. “The success of AF8’s approach

has been thanks to the willingness of many people who have stepped up to give thought to the challenges that we will have to deal with,” he said. “Now we need to educate communities as we encourage everyone to get prepared.” The AF8 Roadshow kicked off last week with public talks and interactive school sessions aimed at equipping communities with the knowledge and interest to engage with the science behind an AF8 earthquake, its associated hazards and what it will mean for their community. The roadshow takes in areas likely to be affected by AF8, starting in South Canterbury on March 23, venturing northwards to Kaikoura, across to the West Coast, and finishing in Invercargill on May 24.

To find a roadshow near you go to: https://af8.org.nz/af8-roadshow

Exclusive to:

SMART SMAR SMA RT B BAIT AIT FOR RODENTS RODENTS

UNPARALLELED ATTRACTION AND PALATABILITY GREATER BAIT ACCEPTANCE A LETHAL DOSE FROM A SINGLE VISIT

PH: 0800 100 325 WWW.UPL-LTD.COM/NZ

Generation ® Registered Trademark of LIPHATECH SAS. Block Bait: HSNO Approval Code: HSR100840. Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act. No V9597 Soft Bait: HSNO Approval Code: HSR100839. Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act. No V9587

BRING OUT HER BEST.

IMPROVE BODY CONDITION

INCREASE PRODUCTION & PROFIT

PROTECT FOR LONGER

USE ANY TIME. NIL WHPs

A happy, healthy cow is a better performing cow. So bring out their very best this Autumn with CYDECTIN®. Autumn sees the highest parasite challenge for your stock. But CYDECTIN makes short work of them, which means energy can go into improving body condition and milk production. The nil milk and meat WHPs also give you flexibility to treat when you need.

2732_FP_FW2903

CYDECTIN is long lasting, with 35 days protection against Ostertagia ostertagi. It kills biting and sucking lice too. So keep your profits up and parasites down. Invest in CYDECTIN – New Zealand made for healthy Kiwi cows.

™

Zoetis New Zealand Limited. Tel: 0800 963 847; www.zoetis.co.nz. CYDECTIN is a registered trade mark of Zoetis. ACVM No. A6203.

For more information visit cydectin.co.nz

News

20 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

NZ makes history with WHFF role NEW Zealand’s Cherilyn Watson has been appointed president of the World Holstein Friesian Federation (WHFF) council, becoming the first woman to hold the role in its 45-year history. Watson has been the general manager of Holstein Friesian NZ for 17 years and the Oceania representative on the WHFF Council since 2016. The federation is responsible for improving, promoting and developing the Holstein Friesian breed around the world. Holstein Friesian NZ president Hennie Verwaayen says Watson’s appointment as president was recognition of how far the breed society had come in NZ and proof that NZ was producing some of the best leaders in the field. “For a little country at the bottom of the world, I think Cherilyn’s appointment shows we can and are footing it with the best in the dairy industry,” Verwaayen said. Watson was instrumental in securing funding and is leading the development of a new $1 million project, backed by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), to develop an information system to shape the genetics powering NZ’s dairy sector. The Breed Society and Traits other than Production (TOP)

solution to Dairy Industry Good Animal Database (DIGAD) is being jointly developed by NZ’s independent, not-for-profit dairy cattle breed societies, led by Holstein Friesian NZ.

For a little country at the bottom of the world, I think Cherilyn’s appointment shows we can and are footing it with the best in the dairy industry. Hennie Verwaayen Holstein Friesian NZ She is also on the Industry Genetics Steering Group looking at access to data and genotypes across the NZ dairy industry. She sits on the Breed Association Working Group of ICAR, an international committee setting standards for animal recording, and is secretary of the NZ Dairy Breeds Federation. Watson also serves on the TOP Advisory Committee, which steers the development and implementation of TOP traits in NZ.

Watson says she was honoured to accept the role and is looking forward to working with the WHFF council and members to lead the federation through an everchanging world, from the global pandemic to the environmental challenges facing all dairy farmers. “New Zealand farmers are facing similar issues to dairy farmers around the world, from managing our social licence to operate, to addressing environmental challenges,” Watson said. “I’m looking forward to working with the council and continuing to both facilitate discussion and help address those challenges.” She says one of the biggest challenges currently facing the NZ dairy industry was the development of genomics and the ownership of genomic information for the national herd. “Overseas, the development of genomic testing has already led to more structured breeding decisions about the type of cows farmers both want and need to breed. In New Zealand we haven’t quite got there yet, because there is currently no one industry-good source of genomic data,” she said. Watson takes over from Jos Buiting, of the Netherlands, who will remain as a federation council member. Exiting the role,

HISTORY-MAKING: Newly appointed World Holstein Friesian Federation president Cherilyn Watson is the first woman to hold the position since its inception.

he highlighted the work of the federation in recording breeding traits and genetics. He says the federation was uniquely positioned to cooperate on a worldwide scale to improve efficiency of dairy herds and help

address challenges from CO2 emissions to phosphate, nitrogen and access to water resources. He says he looked forward to continuing to work as council member with Watson as the new president.

DWN regional leader finalists announced Agrievents Thursday 08/04/2021 Seeing, Understanding, Believing Field Day Since November 2020 in a project funded by the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge, farmers within the Nguturoa Catchment near Linton have been studying stream health, greenhouse gas and farm management issues. The field day is an opportunity to discuss and see the results from our project to date with farmers, industry groups, scientists and policy agencies Where: 267 Millricks Line, Linton in the Manawatu Time: Start 10.30am and finish at 2.30pm including a farm and stream walk. For further information contact Terry Parminter at KapAg Ltd, terry.parminter@kapag.nz In the event of raised Covid-19 Alert Levels in the region, the field day will be cancelled. Wednesday 16/06/2021 – Saturday 19/06/2021 National Agricultural Fieldays 2021 Time: Gates open daily Wednesday to Friday 8am to 5pm and Saturday 8am to 4pm. Tickets on sale from April 2021. For the latest information regarding COVID-19 and our event please see our venue site https:// mysterycreek.co.nz/covid-19/

Should your event be listed here? Phone 0800 85 25 80 or email adcopy@globalhq.co.nz

LK0105355©

AWDT Next Level 2021 Your community and sector needs change-makers – women ready to make a positive difference for the people and places they love. In 2021, is that you? Run by our friends at @AgriWomensDevelopmentTrust, Next Level is a six-month leadership and governance development programme empowering you to make a positive impact in your world. Registrations are now open – the first step on your journey to understanding your ‘why’ and building the mindset and skills to make change happen. Learn more at https://www.awdt.org.nz/ programmes/next-level/

TWO women working at the grassroots of the dairy industry are being honoured as Dairy Women’s Network announces the finalists for the second DWN Regional Leader of the Year award. Donna Griggs, who farms in Ruawai, Kaipara, up in Northland, and Rebecca Green, a dairy farmer from Cheviot, Canterbury, represents over 70 regional leaders across New Zealand who connect the organisation to rural communities. “Our regional leaders are the faces of the Dairy Women’s Network and are the first point of contact for farmers around NZ. “They put enormous amounts of effort and time into organising and hosting regional events to provide their communities with the knowledge to further local farms, and ultimately the wider industry,” Dairy Women’s Network chief executive Jules Benton said. Both finalists demonstrate a focus on the DWN value of building connection, from organising and hosting events to connect with regional members, to hosting discussion groups on their farms, involvement in school boards and regional branches of industry organisations, such as the Dairy Industry Awards and Federated Farmers. “The award not only highlights the effort they put into their roles as volunteer

IN THE RUNNING: Canterbury farmer Rebecca Green and Northland farmer Donna Griggs have been selected as the finalists for the 2021 Dairy Women’s Network Regional Leader award.

regional leaders, but the work they do behind the scenes for the good of the industry. Our two finalists are both excellent representatives of Dairy Women’s Network and consciously incorporate our values into their work and day-to-day lives,” she said. This year’s award was supported by FMG, who are known for their work in the rural wellbeing space. FMG’s head of its agribusiness centre Nicki Mackay says FMG is delighted to support the award. “We recognise the value of connecting with others, the opportunities to keep learning and for the part

they play in wellbeing. We’d like to thank Donna and Rebecca for the work they do in their rural communities and congratulate them on being finalists for this award,” Mackay said. The 2021 DWN Regional Leader of the Year will receive a registration to the Dare to Lead programme facilitated by Boma New Zealand, travel to the location of the programme and accommodation. The recipient will be announced at a gala dinner in Taupo on April 8. FMG will be presenting the award. Tickets for the dinner are still available for you to join in and celebrate the finalists.

The award not only highlights the effort they put into their roles as volunteer regional leaders, but the work they do behind the scenes for the good of the industry. Jules Benton Dairy Women’s Network

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Push for better rural connectivity

We already have the tools like the broadband map, but really what we want is people to know what is available, what is around them. Craig Young TUANZ This will help rural customers pick up on new wireless technology now available and could include free instalments of customer premises equipment (CPE) such as modems and routers on farms and homes. “Now is the time to switch focus from technology and coverage to outcomes and individual needs,” he said. TUANZ and wireless association WISPA have good data on individual premises covered in regions, and can identify what households are struggling to get decent broadband coverage. “In urban fibre there is a free install, so in rural areas, is it not also worth investing in free CPE for end users?” he asked. The association was also advocating the rollout of a national connectivity register. “We already have the tools like the broadband map, but really what we want is people to know what is available, what is around them,” he said. He says TUANZ is constantly getting calls from rural people unaware of the broadband options now out there in their district. This comes as the technology offerings are poised to increase. They include the proposed Starlink low earth orbit satellite system proposing to provide an internet connection anywhere for US$100 a month. Australian firm Connected Farms is also entering the NZ market via a new satellite operated over the South Pacific by Kacific. Young sees the opportunity for industry groups, government and farming bodies to work together to increase knowledge on options. WISPA chair Mike Smith says the challenge for rural broadband is the ongoing investment required to upgrade wireless infrastructure, compared to the “one-off” cost fibre incurs as it goes into the ground, with little upkeep required afterwards. “We are getting there, but we need a plan that will fund this to ensure we are maintaining and growing. It is not about just getting to 20Mbps – it’s

n tO

Easy Copper Deposits Demand for copper increases during late pregnancy, mating and lactation, right when the spring pasture copper levels are at their lowest.

Talk to your vet about Coppermax™ and Bayer Copper Capsules on your farm to ensure adequate copper levels and your herd's optimal performance and productivity.

WIN A 50” PANASONIC TV *

RRP

$1399.99

Only available from participating vet clinics.

Ensure growth rates, production and reproduction performance are optimum. Convenient supplementation - quick to use injection or slow release capsules. Tested and proven in NZ conditions.

*See in store for terms and conditions. Bayer Copper Capsules, Coppermax™ and Flexidine™ are Restricted Veterinary Medicines (RVM). Only available under veterinary authorisation. Face-Guard and Coppermax are trade marks of Elanco. Prolaject, Flexidine and Selovin are registered trade marks of Elanco. Bayer Copper Capsules, Coppermax™, Flexidine™, Face-Guard™, Prolaject™ and Selovin™ are registered under the ACVM Act 1997. Elanco and the diagonal bar logo are trade marks of Elanco or it’s affiliates. Elanco New Zealand, 106 Wiri Station Road, Manukau, Auckland 2104. www.elanco.com | 0800 446 121. © 2021 Elanco. 6293_83403.

*See in store for terms and conditions.

Pr ola jec t Fle xid ine

A 10-YEAR plan that does not allow rural broadband connectivity to stand still is vital if rural communities are to ever match urban access, TUANZ chief executive Craig Young says. Young says there is a risk that without continuing investment and expansion in broadband beyond the existing initiatives, rural NZ will end up with the “stale doughnut” outcome. This is particularly in areas where the original Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) kicked off. “This really requires an increase of investment back into it due to capacity limitations,” Young said. As services such as banking wind back in many rural communities, the need for connectivity to push forward has only grown. He says those communities should expect speeds at least equal to their urban counterparts. “And it is a case of recognising we can take a multi-tech approach to achieve that. There is also the added element that urban broadband will not stand still, therefore, why should rural?” he asked. Young says part of TUANZ’s 10-year plan is proposing a change to funding models.

CAN’T STOP: TUANZ chief executive Craig Young says now is the time to switch focus from technology and coverage to outcomes and individual needs.

got to be how to get to 50, or 100,” Smith said. He says the competitive space for rural broadband will become interesting as the new players enter in coming months. “There is talk about satellites dumping their capacity over the South Pacific,” he said. He says WISPA members would like to see some sort of onselling model come from their presence. “It is a threat, but it is an opportunity as well,” he said.

Ba y Ca er C ps op ule pe s r

Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz

News

22 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Westland set to boost production Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz A MULTI-MILLION dollar investment to increase butter production has Westland Milk Products targeting a greater role in the production of consumer goods. The $40 million Project Goldrush is aimed at accessing the global consumer butter market while doubling the capacity of Westland’s consumer butter manufacturing. The plan to increase production of the premium grass-fed consumer butter brand Westgold has been five years in the making and is backed by Westland Milk’s new owner, global dairy giant Yili. Westland resident director Shiqing Jian says the company is transitioning from a supplier of mostly bulk commodities to play a greater role in the production of consumer goods in an expanding global butter and spread market. He says the investment highlights the important role Westland plays in Yili’s ongoing plans to supply international industrial and consumer markets. “New Zealand is one of the world’s major butter producers and industry and consumers widely recognise the value of dairy

products of NZ origin,” Jian said. “Chinese consumers are also continuously looking to improve and diversify the application of butter products in baking, cooking and desserts.” “Future demand for butter production and processing of Yili and Yili subsidiary brands will be considerable and the upgraded Westland plant will play an important role.” Annual global butter and spread sales are predicted to grow from a current estimated $US44 trillion to $US59 trillion by 2025, with the US, Russia and China regarded as the world’s largest importers of butter. Westland will leverage the West Coast’s reputation as one of the most unique dairy catchments in the world to connect more directly with domestic and global consumers concerned about the provenance of food, Westland’s general manager of sales and marketing Hamish Yates says. Westgold and Westlandproduced butter is already sold in more than 20 countries around the world, including the US, Japan and China. “But a large part of what we supply currently is bulk commodity butter,” Yates said. “Given the rainfall and

EXPANSION: Westland Milk is transitioning from a supplier of mostly bulk commodities to play a greater role in the production of consumer goods in an expanding global butter and spread market.

geographical conditions that make the West Coast catchment unique for grass-fed farming systems, and the way our farming families have farmed the area for generations, we knew we were sitting on something world-leading and incredibly valuable.” The plan to increase global market penetration of Westgold butter began in 2017, but configuration of the old butter plant had kept retail butter production capacity capped. “This investment now gives us

the flexibility to pursue markets that will offer Westland the most value,” he said. The butter plant upgrade, replacing the existing single churn that was commissioned in 1978 with two German-built churns, will increase Westland’s consumer butter production to a total of 42,000t a year. “This will offer greater quality control and production efficiencies,” Westland chief operating officer Richard Hickson said.

“New packaging lines will also allow us to package different formats and at the backend, we’re upgrading palletising to give us greater efficiency, speed and stacking combinations to suit the varying requirements of international markets.” Remote stacking and racking capability will also be built into a cool store upgrade to allow for quick recovery of palletised goods for transport. Westland’s butter is made solely of churned cream and salt in salted varieties, with no other additives used. The simplicity of mixing only fresh cream and salt gives Westgold butter a distinctive texture, while Westgold’s distinctive gold colour is a result of the grass-fed diet of predominantly West Coast dairy cows. Westgold Butter has been awarded gold medals for its salted and unsalted butter three times in the annual NZ Champions of Cheese Awards, including the 2021 awards announced last week. The site works for the plant upgrade construction and installation is expected to start before Westland’s annual winter shutdown in May.

O N W A AV IL A B LE

New Zealand’s 1

BIOGRO CERTIFIED slug and snail bait. Providing growers with a high-quality, best-in-class performance in slug and snail control.

ENGINEERED WITH

IPMax

& TECHNOLOGY IRONMAX PRO® registered trademark of DE SANGOSSE SAS

Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No. P009801 | See www.foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions. | Approved pursuant to the HSNO Act 1996, Approval Code HSR000143 | See www.epa.govt.nz for approval controls

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

YOUTUBE

AginED Ag ED

FOR E FUTURIA G R R S! U PR EN E

Volume 49 I March 29, 2021 I email: agined@globalHQ.co.nz I w w w.farmersweekly.co.nz

This graph shows the cost of shipping logs to China.

STRETCH YOURSELF: 1 2

3 4

Have a go: 1

Go to www.farmersweekly.co.nz

2 Find and watch the OnFarmStory of “As exciting as it’s ever been” and read the article “In it for the long haul”.

3 Where do the Absoloms live and farm? How long have they farmed there? 4 What do the Absoloms farm?

The three brothers working from the farm all have their distinct roles? What do each of them do? Bulls are predominantly the lifeblood of the operation. They run Angus, Simmental and Profit Maker bulls. What is a “Profit Maker” bull? What characteristics make these bulls desirable? What other stock do they carry and produce? Daniel has a keen interest in the benefits that technology can bring to the farm. Including being part of a global, multi-breed database that allows comparisons of breeds throughout the world. Why could this be of benefit to the farm? The Absoloms have a partnership with a Canadian company Growsafe Systems which uses technology focused on measuring feed intake in their cattle. What does this enable them to assess in their cattle? How is this of use/benefit to them? There is also a follow on benefit to the outcomes of this research regarding methane emissions, what is this?

Log shipping costs to China (US$/JASm3)

Have a go: 1

How do shipping costs compare to this time last year?

2 In what month/year were shipping costs at the highest level? 3 In what month/year were shipping costs at the lowest level?

STRETCH YOURSELF: 1

2 What do you think is affecting shipping prices? Hint: What other forms of transportation are often used and how might they be interrupted in the past year.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Protecting the quality of our freshwater, rivers and lakes is a priority for New Zealand. Nitrate is a key nutrient for plant growth but is also a key water contaminant affecting quality of waterways. Nitrate contamination in waterways and groundwaters is increasingly linked to public health concerns (drinking water quality), toxicity to aquatic species, eutrophication of water bodies (algae growth), and biodiversity losses in freshwater ecosystems. Nitrate is a highly soluble and mobile nutrient, and if not managed properly it could leak from agricultural lands or wastewaters into receiving freshwaters. You may know that artificial drainage (e.g. surface drains or buried pipe drains) from farms are often carrying large amounts of nitrate to streams and rivers where it is a major pollutant. You might be less familiar with a group of microorganisms (denitrifying bacteria) which, given the right conditions (most importantly, a low oxygen environment), can convert the nitrate in drainage waters into harmless nitrogen gas (which makes up 78% of the atmosphere). So here is an interesting idea - what if we could intercept the water in artificial drainage systems and set these bugs to work on it? We can build a luxury hotel for the bugs which we call a ‘bioreactor’. A bioreactor consists of a large hole in the ground which is lined and filled with woodchips which provide many years’ supply of the carbon needed for the bugs to carry out the reaction.

How do you think high shipping costs affect profit margins for products such as logs and red meat? For example, what is likely to happen to sheep and beef farmgate prices if processors are needing to pay high shipping costs?

3 What else might drive shipping costs? 4 What is the percentage difference between March 2020 shipping costs and March 2021? Figure 1. Construction of bioreactors in Upper Manawatu and Coastal Rangitikei catchments. Notice the pipe feeding drainage water into the woodchips at the top end of the bioreactor.

5 Do some research, how long does it take for a ship to get from NZ to China?

We put drainage water with a high nitrate concentration into the bioreactor, it passes slowly through the saturated woodchips, and out comes water with only very small amounts of nitrate. As the bugs work for free, bioreactors are a very effective and cheap way to improve water quality in streams and rivers.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:

?? ?

• How does artificial drainage from farms often reduce water quality in streams and rivers? • What do denitrifying bacteria do to nitrate? • How do you know that the nitrogen gas emitted from the bioreactor is harmless? • It is important that denitrifying bacteria have access to lots of oxygen. True or False? • What is the role of the woodchips in a bioreactor? • Why are bioreactors relatively cheap to build?

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE TO HELP ACHIEVE IMPROVED WATER? QUALITY OUTCOMES, CHECK OUT THE BACHELOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. Check out the Bachelor of Agricultural Science http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/ learning/programme-course/programme.cfm?major _ code=PENSC&prog _ id=92411

For more related content please head to our website at: www.sites. google.com/view/agined/home

Newsmaker

24 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

RENOWNED: Dr Sue Gardiner with her dog Mae at her Aokautere home. One of Gardiner’s most notable achievements is the development of an integrated marker assisted selection platform for speedier development of new fruit varieties with targeted characteristics.

Honours reward for hort research Plant molecular geneticist Dr Sue Gardiner recently received two prestigious accolades recognising her outstanding contribution to global horticultural science. Colin Williscroft reports.

T WAS fitting that the day Sue Gardiner received an email from the International Society for Horticultural Science acknowledging her work, which has enabled New Zealand to become a world leader in international apple breeding and genomics, was March 8 – International Women’s Day. Gardiner was rewarded with a fellowship of the society and later that week she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi. She says it was an exciting week and it was a shame that her mother, who was a physiotherapist, was not around to share it with. “I wish my mother could have been here to celebrate with me. She set a high bar for me as a pioneer career woman and leader in her own profession, in the days when few women had such opportunities,” Gardiner, now an Honorary Fellow at Plant & Food Research, said. “Our family farm, near Waiau in North Canterbury, was isolated in those days and she taught me through the correspondence school until I was 10. Farm life enabled me to develop independence, which has been critical in my career.” It was on that farm, which featured in Rebekah – Gardiner’s niece – and Dave Kelly’s on-farm story (Farmers Weekly, August

2019), that Gardiner’s interest in horticulture was first nurtured. She says she was always interested in nature and not afraid to ask questions, while the large farm garden she grew up with cultivated an interest in plants. At Otago University Gardiner studied animal and plant sciences, but it was plants that appealed the most, and she finished university with a PhD in biochemistry. Her first job was at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) as a scientist then senior scientist, where she worked in a range of research areas, including lipid biochemistry, cultivar identification in pasture grasses and legumes; and from the 1990s genetic mapping in apples and then a range of other fruit crops. During her time there the organisation was constantly changing – from DSIR Plant Physiology to DSIR Fruit and Trees, to HortResearch and now Plant & Food Research. One of Gardiner’s most notable achievements is the development of an integrated marker assisted selection (MAS) platform for speedier development of new fruit varieties with targeted characteristics, which is currently utilised for several crops grown in NZ. Key to developing marker assisted selection is the availability of DNA sequence of

the genomes of each species, and Gardiner contributed to establishing these sequences for apples, pears and kiwifruit. The MAS platform delivers information on the genetic potential of potential parents as well as enabling selection of seedlings with the combination of specific characters desired by industry and consumers. Breeders then use the information to design crosses between optimal parents and select seedlings for observation in the field, as well as for sensory evaluation of fruit and storage tests. Her work gives an edge to NZ producers, who can obtain fruit tailored for market needs faster than their overseas counterparts. Gardiner says her job changed with the discovery of the kiwifruit vine disease Psa in NZ in 2010. Like many of her colleagues at Plant & Food, almost immediately her research switched to kiwifruit as “things looked black” for the industry. She says her work with kiwifruit has been extremely challenging, as the fruit has a much more complex genome structure than apples. Whereas apples have major genes controlling different characteristics, kiwifruit have multiple genes controlling the one character, such as Psa resistance. When Gardiner began at DSIR

41 years ago after finishing her PhD, she was the most senior woman there. “That’s improved slightly over the years but although there’s lots of women in technical positions, there’s not a lot in management positions,” Gardiner said. She says the majority of fellows in both the International Society for Horticultural Science and the Royal Society Te Apārangi are men.

I wish my mother could have been here to celebrate with me. She set a high bar for me as a pioneer career woman and leader in her own profession, in the days when few women had such opportunities. Sue Gardiner Plant molecular geneticist She thinks that is beginning to change and she hopes it will continue. She says horticultural research in NZ has traditionally not been as well-funded as agricultural research, as the latter has always been able to attract more

commercial funding. However, NZ horticultural scientists have made significant contributions to fruit breeding, especially apples and kiwifruit, particularly the gold variety. She has received multiple awards throughout her career, including the Science New Zealand Plant & Food Research Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, the Prime Minister’s Science Prize in 2017 as a member of the Psa response team, and the Outstanding International Horticulturist Award of the American Society for Horticultural Science in 2009. Although Gardiner retired at the end of 2019, she continues to have a connection with Plant & Food Research. Her role as honorary research fellow there allows her to use her knowledge to help others, spending Fridays mentoring, and editing research papers and theses. Her interest in plants extends beyond her career, as she and her husband have about 4ha at Aokautere, just outside of Palmerston North, where she grows and breeds rhododendrons as a hobby, along with Japanese irises. Her garden, ongoing role at Plant & Food, and membership of a national rhododendron conservation group, keeps her busy.

New thinking

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

A global warning system A leading biosecurity academic is seeking to have an international biosecurity organisation established to help identify biosecurity risks before they spread. Professor Philip Hulme believes such an organisation could prove far more effective than the current “ambulance” approach countries adopt. Richard Rennie reports.

HE past 12 months have woken most governments up to the reality that biosecurity is an essential part of foreign policy that can’t be addressed piecemeal by different administrative departments, Lincoln University Bio-Protection Research Centre professor Philip Hulme says. “In reality it involves a far wider, more holistic approach that includes plants, humans, pests and disease. Yet if you look at the policies to deal with them, they are siloed, inward looking despite the cross-sector impacts from biosecurity incursions,” Hulme says. The global response to covid-19 has highlighted how multiple aspects of the economy depend on robust biosecurity systems. The pandemic is unlikely to be the only one experienced in coming years as agriculture continues to intensify, climate change alters our natural and productive ecosystems and humans share ever closer space with diseasecarrying animals as a result. The lack of unified policies requires a broad, global body capable of dealing with the emergence and spread of a wide range of biosecurity threats that threaten human livelihoods and wellbeing.

He likens it to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in that any organisation responsible for biosecurity worldwide needs to be a globally recognised authority that can force countries to act on identifying, notifying and controlling emerging biosecurity threats within their borders on discovery. In a paper in the leading journal BioScience, Hulme calls this a “One Biosecurity” concept, pulling together all the varying aspects of global biosecurity threats to address the pandemic risk of biosecurity threats. “It requires a shift away from protecting individual countries from introduced pests and diseases, to preventing the deliberate or accidental export of emerging threats from the country of origin,” he says. “Imagine if the global response to the brown marmorated stink bug could have been as rapid and stringent as that for covid-19, with an international body requiring all countries to report it and to take action. The problem could have been nipped in the bud, instead it has been like watching a car crash in slow motion witnessing its spread and effect in countries including US, Chile and Italy.” International conventions and sanitary standards do exist for the export of plants and animals, but

PEST-FREE: Professor Philip Hulme is advocating for a biosecurity body with the power and reach of the World Health Organisation. Photo: Annette Scott

these are primarily technocratic bodies, with no mandate to enforce regulations. But Hulme believes that their track record in preventing the spread of pests and diseases in agriculture has not been stellar. “On paper they share many similarities, but in practice One Biosecurity is much more about delivering the policy and response solutions to a wider set of threats arising from emerging pests, weeds and diseases,” he says. “There is also concern that One Health, while a great concept, is not delivering on its promises, especially as regard wider risks beyond human and animal health”. He says New Zealand is acutely aware of the biosecurity risks on the horizon but is relatively powerless to deal with them until they hit our shore. “We spent many years watching the spread of myrtle rust in New South Wales knowing that sooner or later it would reach NZ; how much pressure did we put on Australia to invest in a more effective management programme?” Governments have tended to avoid binding international

commitments, but Hulme thinks the mood for greater global collaboration is likely to be stronger now that covid has shown just how vulnerable all are to biosecurity breaches. “NZ has a globally leading reputation in biosecurity, both through government and industry-led initiatives; we should certainly be at the top table when developing an international approach,” he says. “NZ citizens contribute a huge amount to biosecurity management both at the border but also at the farm gate, ensuring we deliver products that are free from pests and diseases and so fetch a premium on the international market. It shouldn’t be beyond other countries to do the same, but the incentives of doing so are still not strong enough to deliver worldwide clean trade.” Hulme acknowledges getting momentum internationally on One Biosecurity will not happen overnight, but he is hoping that it will be part of the global solution proposed in a forthcoming UN report of invasive alien species. “I have been encouraged by how scientists have accepted the need

New Zealand has a globally leading reputation in biosecurity, both through government and industry-led initiatives; we should certainly be at the top table when developing an international approach. Professor Philip Hulme Bio-Protection Research Centre for One Biosecurity and the next step is engaging with international policymakers from over 100 countries in a plenary session,” he says. “Between now and then we hope to gain more support. “Time will tell how feasible this may be, but hopefully it will not take another global pandemic for the logic of One Biosecurity to be realised.”

Fast knockdown. It’s CRUCIAL. ®

Contact your local Rural Supplier to purchase CRUCIAL today.

ONF205415FW

0800 NUFARM or visit us at nufarm.co.nz/discovercrucial

®CRUCIAL is a registered trademark of Nufarm Australia Limited.

Opinion

26 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

EDITORIAL Influence requires tempered approach

EW Zealand farmers have traditionally not done protests well. They tend to be a lot more civilised than their European contemporaries who willingly use tractors to blockade motorways and cripple cities. NZ has made some commendable albeit more tame efforts: thousands rallied at Parliament in 1986 to protest the economic reforms of the David Lange government; National MP Shane Ardern drove a tractor up Parliament steps in 2014 during a protest over a proposed methane tax; and in 2019, 1200 marched on Parliament, angry that rural communities were being excluded from policies. Farmers feel beaten up by the deluge of policy emanating from Wellington and some want a stauncher response from their leadership, a sentiment very obvious at last week’s Beef + Lamb NZ annual meeting. Their frustration is justified when you look at the haste with which politicians are pushing through far-reaching and complex policy, evident by the freshwater and climate change reforms, where retrospective changes to make those policies workable are made after deputations from primary sector leaders. It is easy to conclude that politicians and bureaucrats are either immune or not listening to the primary sector, but that may be due to the construct of our elected MPs. Sixty years ago, farmers would have been a dominant career among MPs. In the 53rd Parliament, the primary sector hardly rates a mention. A study by BlacklandPR reveals the five most popular careers of MPs are managers, analysts, teachers, lawyers and elected representatives – career politicians. There are also actors, winemakers, flight attendants, cleaners and retail assistants and 90% of pre-political careers were social, community and service related. It therefore stands to reason, as B+LNZ leaders told farmers at the annual meeting, to influence policy they must lobby – read educate – legislators using science, data and fact. While this is not as confronting as some farmers would like, it reflects the reality that the primary sector and rural communities are very much a minority in Parliament. To drive change requires a more tempered approach than marches, placards and chants.

Neal Wallace

LETTERS

Thanks for your service Rod Slater AS A Northland beef farmer, I wish to acknowledge Rod Slater’s contribution to the red meat sector in New Zealand. Rod had worked with the Northland Beef Council in Northland during the 1990s. I became chair in 2000. Originally the Beef Council had a Hoof and Hook competition which, with Rod’s help, developed into a Hook and Taste competition. Sometime in the early 2000s Rod, Malcolm McKerrow (chief executive of Beef Council) and I met to discuss the future of the competition. To the chagrin of some local breeders, we decided to only have a taste competition. One of the other two at the meeting came up with the Steak of Origin name. We recommended to the Meat Board as it was, to go with a national

Steak of Origin competition run by Rod as a means to advertise to the wider population the beauty of our product. This followed on from the work of Rod’s team in improving the quality of the meat being presented to the buying public. Rod was also good at spotting sporting talent before they reached their peak and sponsoring them when they needed it most and we meat producers benefited from that association. Rod and his team were always ready to respond to negative comments about red meat, and respond with facts and clarity. I would like to wish Rod a healthy retirement and hope he enjoys fishing off the coast of Northland. Laurie Copland Broadwood

RETIREMENT: Beef + Lamb NZ Inc chief executive Rod Slater will step down from his role in the second half of the year.

Letters to the Editor Letters must be no more than 450 words and submitted on the condition The New Zealand Farmers Weekly has the right to, and license third parties to, reproduce in electronic form and communicate these letters. Letters may also be edited for space and legal reasons. Names, addresses and phone numbers must be included. Letters with pen names will generally not be considered for publication.

Letterof theWeek EDITOR Bryan Gibson 06 323 1519 bryan.gibson@globalhq.co.nz EDITORIAL Carmelita Mentor-Fredericks 06 323 0769 editorial@globalhq.co.nz Neal Wallace 03 474 9240 neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz Colin Williscroft 027 298 6127 colin.williscroft@globalhq.co.nz Annette Scott 021 908 400 annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz Hugh Stringleman 09 432 8594 hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz Gerald Piddock 027 486 8346 gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz Richard Rennie 07 552 6176 richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz Nigel Stirling 021 136 5570 nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com

ADVERTISING

PUBLISHER Dean Williamson 027 323 9407 dean.williamson@globalhq.co.nz

Clint Dunstan 027 474 6004 Real Estate & Farm Machinery advertising clint.dunstan@globalhq.co.nz

Andy Whitson 027 626 2269 New Media & Business Development Lead andy.whitson@globalhq.co.nz Steve McLaren 027 205 1456 Auckland/Northland advertising steve.mclaren@globalhq.co.nz Jody Anderson 027 474 6094 Waikato/Bay of Plenty advertising jody.anderson@globalhq.co.nz Donna Hirst 027 474 6095 Lower North Island/international advertising donna.hirst@globalhq.co.nz Ernest Nieuwoudt 027 474 6091 South Island advertising ernest.nieuwoudt@globalhq.co.nz

ISSN 2463-6002 (Print) ISSN 2463-6010 (Online) Ella Holland 06 323 0761 Livestock advertising 027 602 4925 livestock@globalhq.co.nz Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 Classifieds/Employment advertising classifieds@globalhq.co.nz Grant Marshall 027 887 5568 AgriHQ Partnership Manager grant.marshall@globalhq.co.nz Andrea Mansfield 027 446 6002 Salesforce director andrea.mansfield@globalhq.co.nz Steph Holloway 06 323 0142 AgriHQ Commercial Leader steph.holloway@globalhq.co.nz PRODUCTION Lana Kieselbach 027 739 4295 production@globalhq.co.nz Advertising material adcopy@globalhq.co.nz SUBSCRIPTIONS 0800 85 25 80 subs@globalhq.co.nz Printed by Ovato NZ Ltd Delivered by Reach Media Ltd

Best letter each week wins a quality Victorinox Hiker knife

So go on! Stick the knife in WRITE TO The Editor, Farmers Weekly P.O. Box 529, Feilding EMAIL farmers.weekly@globalhq.co.nz • FAX 06 323 7101

LK0105358©

Farmers Weekly is published by GlobalHQ, PO Box 529, Feilding 4740. New Zealand Phone: 0800 85 25 80 Website: www.farmersweekly.co.nz

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Regen ag not the be-all, end-all Robert Hickson

EGENERATIVE agriculture, where the health and wellbeing of the environment, animals and farmers is prioritised, is gaining cachet. I see that as a necessary but insufficient change to how we manage land and watery environments. In some respects, discussions about regen ag are more backward than forward-looking. Take, for example, the UK’s Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. Their recent report Farming for Change: Mapping a Route to 2030 looks at what it calls “agroecology”. It examines how feasible it is to produce enough food for the UK in 2050 – despite the report title – while reducing fertilisers, pesticides and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improving habitats, animal welfare and peoples’ diets, and ensuring small scale farms are viable. Based on modelling they find that it is feasible, and still have some products to export. New Zealand’s Pure Advantage promotion of regenerative farming is similar. That’s bucolic and inspirational as far as it goes. Producing safe, nutritious, affordable and healthy food responsibly is essential. But regen ag looks to foundational changes, rather than transformative ones. Its focus is on individual farms and producing traditional products, just more sustainably. To become more broadly transformative requires generative as well as regenerative approaches. Firstly, while the food system is often mentioned, most regenerative discussions are focused just on the traditional farm. Improving agricultural practices is essential, but more thought needs to be given to integration with emerging food production systems, such as

The

Pulpit

urban farming, vertical farming and “lab-based” foods. And, also, to aquaculture. Aquaculture is having its own separate discussions – and here – about regenerative farming. That’s understandable because the environments and methods are quite different. However, if you want a transformed food production system, all of these bits need to come together. Identify where the different parts can complement each other rather than just compete. There is also the need to reimagine the logistics of processing and delivering food – and their waste cycles. Otherwise, it is like focusing on a shift from petrol-powered cars to electric vehicles without paying too much attention to the rest of the transportation system. The approaches being taken to reimagine the electricity system provide another example for thinking about integration of different food production components. (See the Oxford Martin School’s Synthesis report too). Secondly, the regenerative discussion is typically about food production and environmental restoration. Viewing farms as

MAPPING A ROUTE: Agroecology examines how feasible it is to produce enough food for the UK in two to three decades’ time. Photo: Food, Farming and Countryside Commission/Farming for Change

commodity producers and environmental service providers. In the future regen ag is likely to be a bottom line. Everyone will be doing it, so where are the added value and market opportunities going to come from? There is the need to imagine farms as providing other services and products. For example, as part of the energy production system. Not just for their own use but for other communities. Electron farms as well as food farms. A bigger challenge is finding what higher-value (non-food) products and materials can be produced. Some in the aquaculture sector are heading this way, but there is plenty of scope to consider how industrial ecology and other approaches could lead to novel medical, environmental and industrial applications for land-based agriculture too.

That’s not easy or trivial. Huge amounts of investment and research have gone into that already with limited success so far. Biofuel companies have shifted to personal care products as a more profitable market. The 21st Century has been touted by some as the century of biotechnology. Most of the action is currently in the lab, but we shouldn’t neglect looking for more opportunities in the field, or water. In my 2015 “constant gardener” scenario I suggested that a key step to improve innovation is a multidisciplinary consultancy that acts as a connector across the range of interested stakeholders. That’s still valid today, and something that NZ could excel at. A few years ago I also suggested the need to think bigger about the opportunities for Predator Free 2050. More imagination should be

applied to the farming system too. Creating a “pest free” country and a regen ag system are great, but we shouldn’t see them as the end points. We should be thinking about the other new opportunities that we create along the way, and what happens after we achieve those initial value-based goals. • First published at sciblogs.co.nz

Who am I? Dr Robert Hickson is fascinated with foresighting and future scanning. He writes about cutting-edge technology, innovation, science and risk.

Your View Got a view on some aspect of farming you would like to get across? The Pulpit offers readers the chance to have their say. farmers.weekly@globalhq.co.nz Phone 06 323 1519

Not All Right? That’s Alright!

Sometimes no matter how much planning we do, life throws us curveballs we could never have prepared for. Planning ahead about what to do when things turn upside down, is also worthwhile. Take the time now to think about how to reach out for help, whether that’s amongst your family, friends, community or services like 1737 Need to Talk? Remember that it’s All Right not to be Alright. Speaking up about needing support can feel difficult, but it’s something that you won’t ever regret. Keep this info handy – or check out the Ministry of Health website, for more ideas on where to go for support.

www.health.govt.nz/your-health/services-and-support/health-care-services/mental-health-services 1737 Need to Talk? Is a mental health helpline number that provides access to trained counsellors who can offer support to anyone who needs to talk about mental health or addiction issues. It is free to call or text at any time. Youthline www.youthline.co.nz offers support to young people and their families, including online resources about a wide range of issues that affect young people. It can be contacted by calling 0800 376 633, texting 234, email (talk@youthline.co.nz) or online chat.

What’s up www.whatsup.co.nz offers counselling to 5 to 18 year olds by freephone 0800 942 8787 (1pm-10pm Monday - Friday, 3pm-10pm weekends) or online chat. Mental health information and advice for children, teenagers and families is available on its website. The Lowdown www.thelowdown.co.nz is a website and helpline for young people to help them recognise and understand depression or anxiety. It also has a 24/7 helpline that can be contacted by calling freephone 0800 111 757 or texting 5626. Alcohol and drug helpline 0800 787 797.

0800 787 254 www.ruralsupport.org.nz

Lifeline offers support to reduce distress and save lives by providing safe, accessible, effective and non-judgemental services. Call 0800 LIFELINE (0800 54 33 54) or free text HELP (4357) Outline welcomes calls around sexuality, gender identity and diverse sex characteristics. All calls and callers are confidential and anonymous. Call us on 0800 688 5463 10 am – 9 pm weekdays, 6 pm – 9 pm weekends Domestic violence and advice & support, call Women’s Refuge Crisis line 0800 733 843.

rural people helping rural people

Opinion

28 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

CDFD was one for the books Alternative View

Alan Emerson

WE WENT to the Central Districts Field Days last weekend, and it was an enjoyable and invigorating experience. It was also impeccably organised. Parking was easy, we walked straight into the event and received a program that told me everything I needed to know. The only criticism I’d have was that there wasn’t a coffee cart right inside the gate. It took me a while to find one and get my daily fix. Having said that, the coffee was great. I was pleased that we eventually came to have an event, as covid-19 put a stop to last year’s. Anyone sceptical of the ability of rural New Zealand to make the country prosperous post covid-19 should have been at Manfield. The crowds were huge and it was rural people in the main who were there. There were gumboots, work boots and sensible shoes. Singlets, Swazis and shirts were there as

well. The only ties I saw were on two lost looking gentlemen in suits. I figured they were probably Ministry for the Environment (MfE) people checking emissions. As everyone was walking around, I’m sure the event was environmentally-friendly. On the other hand, they could have been serious-minded people from either the NZ Animal Law Association or SAFE there to check animal cruelty in the performing dogs. The crowd appeared relaxed, as they do at rural events. They were there to learn, buy and enjoy – and they did. There were all ages and races there, and I heard foreign languages spoken with some regularity. The tag line on the Field Days programme is “connect, discover and experience the best of NZ’s primary industries at Central Districts Field Days” – and it did just that. The exhibits were amazing. The advances in machinery, for example, was mind blowing. I spent a season driving tractors some decades ago, but don’t ask me to drive a current model. The technology, brilliant as it is, would be beyond me. I can understand why extensive training is required to drive one. Saying that, there were machinery brands exhibited there that I hadn’t heard of.

I read in the program that conservatively sales at the previous event were in excess of $41 million and I can believe that. What interested me is that we can often hear how it is tragic that people are no longer connected to a farm. That NZ is too removed from the rural sector. The counter to that is being connected to a farm 20 or 30 years ago is largely irrelevant in today’s farming environment. It is much more technical and precise than it used to be, as amply demonstrated by all the technology stands. As a rural advocate it was good to read the Manawatū District Mayor’s comments in the program. Helen Worboys believed that agriculture and food production are strong and growing rural industries are “surging ahead and taking over as the backbone of the New Zealand economy”. Taking over as the backbone of the economy is correct and it was visible at the field days. The hundreds of exhibits that included everything from Fanny Adams knickers to huge cranes mounted on trucks. There were several stands on training and the career prospects in the sector. I don’t remember seeing that previously. Lincoln and Massey were represented, as you’d expect, but

TOP-NOTCH: Alan Emerson says despite having driven a tractor before, based on the latest tech and machinery on display at the Central District Field Days, he can understand why extensive training is required to drive one today.

so were many secondary schools. It was interesting talking to the Affco crew about the opportunities and issues concerning trading with China. Affco had just announced its new lamb schedule at almost a dollar above existing rates. It certainly had farmers talking. The fencing, diggers, bikes and dogs were all worth seeing and yet again demonstrated the complexity of rural living. As a showcase of our skills, it was superb. Another enjoyable part of the field days is randomly meeting old mates and colleagues. The downside of that is it does extend the day for some hours, but it was well worth it. Many left with lighter wallets. As with other years, the food was local and enjoyable. What caught my eye as a sign saying “good beer”. Interesting, I thought. Is there such a thing as

bad beer? Certainly not in my experience. I’m glad I attended the CD Field Days. As I’ve said, it was impeccably organised and spectacular. It had a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, there was a lot to see and a lot to learn. A visit to the event should be a required activity for the army of civil servants in Wellington who fall over themselves to impose crazy restrictions on us with blissful ignorance of the sector. A visit to the field days would help fix that blissful ignorance, as it would with many politicians. I’m starting a collection to get the Green crew there next year. As a showcase for rural NZ, I’d give it 10 out of 10.

Your View Alan Emerson is a semi-retired Wairarapa farmer and businessman: dath.emerson@gmail.com

Government listened to the science From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

I’M WRITING this exactly a year after we went into something we had just heard about called Alert Level 4, self-isolation or lockdown. Stick to your bubble we were told. A small bubble here with just Jane and me. I’ve just listened to a clip of the various announcements a year ago and it was a reminder of how dramatic those days were. “Stay at home or thousands will die unnecessarily,” they said. Alarmist, as commentators like Mike Hosking stated? Not, as it turned out, as we watched countries like the US make a complete hash of their response. Only a couple of months before during early January, I’d said to Dave, our niece’s fiancé who was visiting, that I was intrigued about a news report that morning that talked about a fellow dying in China in a city I hadn’t heard of from a mystery illness. Dave wanted to know why

that would interest me and I said given around 28,000 people die every day in China, we are not that accustomed to hearing about individual deaths. I thought the report was probably because of twitchiness around the next expected pandemic that humanity was due. Relatively recent pandemics like SARS in 2003 and Swine Flu in 2009 had killed up to 600,000 people before being contained, but could have become a lot worse. One just had to look back in history to plagues like the Black Death, which killed half of Europe in the middle of the 14th century, and the Spanish Flu between 1918 and 1920, which infected a third of the world’s population, some 500 million people, and killed an estimated 50m people, are two of the better-known pandemics, but they have regularly plagued man since we started congregating into large groups 10 thousand years ago. With humanity closing in on eight billion souls, shoulder to shoulder, and air travel allowing almost instant access to every nook and cranny of the globe, one would imagine we are sitting ducks for a doozy of a plague. So, this time last year, many countries, but not all, took the threat seriously.

TIME TO REFLECT: Just a year ago we were walking past shutdown businesses, while giving each other a wide berth as we discovered the art of sticking to our own bubbles.

Our officials gave good advice, and the Government listened to that advice and took draconian steps. An eradication policy was the goal. Not everything was done right but there are few other countries that most of us would elect to have lived in for the last year. Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea all learned valuable lessons from the SARS outbreak and then we are ranked next best in the global response to the pandemic by the likes of Time magazine. The big lesson here is that science does work in your interests and the communication of that science was top notch. In other parts of the world, they did not follow the science and have paid the price accordingly. Let’s

not allow that rational science messaging to be overrun by falsehoods when it comes to the vaccination programme. Thus, we have been well governed, but luck and the biggest moat of any other nation have also played their part. We didn’t know a year ago how this would play out. I went into Waipukurau on that first day of lockdown to do my radio show. Ruataniwha Street was completely deserted. It was like a scene out of that movie Bruno Lawrence starred in called The Quiet Earth, where he was one of the few still alive on the earth. Subsequent visits saw a slow build-up of folk out walking past the shutdown businesses, while

giving each other a wide berth as we discovered the art of sticking to our own bubbles. We had just bought Central FM with our business partners and saw half the business go out the door as the retailers had no need to advertise, but the rural side of the business kept us on life support as they advertised to farmers how they were now conducting business in this brave new world. And here we are a year later, with 26 deaths and importantly, a health system that hasn’t been overrun so that people with heart attacks, strokes, involved in crashes and accidents have been able to be cared for appropriately. A world death toll closing in on three million is a long way off the 50 million that died from the Spanish Flu but until much of humanity is vaccinated, this pandemic has a way to run yet. Perhaps the experience of this pandemic’s real worth is the learnings we will get for the inevitable one that may be more lethal and have a higher transmissibility rate and that will follow at some time in the future.

Your View Steve Wyn-Harris is a Central Hawke’s Bay sheep and beef farmer. swyn@xtra.co.nz

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Pick battles that will win the war The Braided Trail

Keith Woodford

A KEY forthcoming decision for New Zealand is how it will report to the United Nations on its Paris Agreement milestones. On the surface, this many seem something for the bureaucracy to deal with, but the reality is very different. It is an issue of fundamental importance. The big question is whether NZ highlights the so-called total carbon dioxide equivalent number (CO2e) or whether it highlights the separate targets and achievements for short and long-lived gases. Once determined, the reporting metrics are locked in. This question has been raised by the Climate Change Commission (CCC) in its draft report. Unfortunately, the issue has subsequently been largely ignored by the media, by commentators and also by rural industry groups, all of which have failed to recognise its importance in shaping the issues. The CCC lists many recommendations in multiple categories and asks 24 consultation questions. Recommendation One in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) category is that NZ should report internationally using a combined figure for short and long-lived gases. Question 22 is whether or not this is the best way to do it. I say that it is not. To understand why this is so important, we need to backtrack about three years. At that time the dominant perspective within government was that short and long-lived gases could all be bundled together. But then, Simon Upton in his role of Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment presented arguments why they should be considered separately. Neither the Greens nor the Labour Party were impressed with those arguments, but Winston Peters picked it up. Hence, separate targets have been listed in the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019. This Act says that NZ must reduce net emissions of all greenhouse gases (GHG) except biogenic methane to zero by 2050. In contrast, biogenic methane has to be reduced by 24-47% below 2017 levels by 2050, including 10% below 2017 levels by 2030. Those emission reductions for methane are going to be challenging, but not impossible. The target is much more achievable if the 24% minimum figure is the one that is retained. There are two very good reasons why agriculturally sourced (biogenic) methane needs to retain its strong separate focus.

ISSUE: Keith Woodford believes that instead of focusing on the inconsistencies in emissions targets, agricultural industries have allowed themselves to be sidetracked into fights that they can never win.

The key message in all of this is that the rural sector of NZ needs to fight to keep methane issues separate from carbon dioxide. The first reason is very specific within Article 2 of the Paris Agreement. Article 2 says that countries should “adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that does not threaten food production”. This statement is not hard to find. Article 1 of the Agreement is simply definitions. The statement about food production in Article 2 is in the first substantive paragraph of the agreement. So, let me say it very clearly: the Paris Agreement is not meant to threaten food production. Linked to this is something else I have said many times before: most of NZ’s pastoral soils and topography are not suited to crops. Despite the prominence of the Paris Agreement statement about not threatening food production, it is almost never referred to either by mainstream NZ media, nor emphasised by rural industry groups. Instead, agricultural industries have allowed themselves to be side-tracked into

fights that they can never win. Too often we read about rural groups arguing that agriculturallysourced methane is unimportant in relation to global warming. Yes, it is correct that the agriculturallysourced methane in NZ is produced from carbon dioxide that is drawn from the atmosphere by photosynthesis, and this eventually ends up back in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. However, in the meantime, while it is in the form of methane for approximately 12 years on average, it does contribute to global warming. Based on science, we can never win an argument to the contrary. People also get unduly distracted by issues of soil carbon. Yes, the carbon that is contained in the soil is very important, as is the carbon contained in the world’s rain forests. But GHG policies are measured by new sequestration and not by stores of carbon. If agriculture wants to get credit for soil carbon, it will have to be new carbon that is sequestered net of any carbon that is being lost; for example, by draining peat soils and by cultivation on all soils. Agricultural interests might win a few battles, but they won’t win the war this way. The second area that agriculture should be focusing on is the impact of bundling the methane into units of carbon dioxide equivalence. This started almost by accident way back in the 1990s using the 100-year warming

estimate of a tonne of carbon dioxide as the baseline. Most countries did not care greatly about the use of carbon dioxide equivalence for methane, given that for most countries biogenic methane is a minor component of total emissions. But for NZ, and some other small agricultural exporting countries like Uruguay, it is a choice that totally screws the scrum. If, for example, the effects of methane and carbon dioxide are compared based on 200-year effects, then we would get a greatly reduced proportion of CO2e coming from methane. The key issue with CO2e measures for methane is that it is like comparing apples and onions. There is no sensible way of bundling up the onions into apple equivalents. It could be on the basis of sugar, carbohydrate, fibre or even some unit of smell. Take your pick and get your answer. Way back in 2006, I took up the issue of flaws in the CO2e concept when applied to methane. The article was published in the Journal of Primary Industry Management. Almost certainly, I was the first person to take up this issue in NZ. But no one seemed particularly interested and at the time, I had other fish to fry. I did not persist with the issue. The key message in all of this is that the rural sector of NZ needs to fight to keep methane issues separate from carbon dioxide. Once they are bundled up into units of CO2e, there is no way that methane will receive the separate

consideration that it needs. That includes the way that we report these issues to the UN, which will flow straight back into NZ reporting. In contrast, the CCC report (p163) advocates bundling everything into one headline number. It suggests that there might be other ways of highlighting the special issues of methane, but gives zero indication of how that might occur. I see that as a big cop-out. And it locks in that headline number as a mandatory requirement. One of the problems for the rural sector has been insufficient expertise on GHG issues within industry bodies such as Federated Farmers. I have yet to find any professional staff in that organisation who can engage with the issues at the necessary level of depth. The industry has been fortunate that people like Upton have rolled up their sleeves and generated useful debate from a position of insight. But that does not replace the need for groups such as Federated Farmers to have their own professional specialists who can engage with these issues from a similarly informed position.

Your View Keith Woodford was Professor of farm management and agribusiness at Lincoln University for 15 years to 2015. He is now principal consultant at AgriFood Systems. He can be contacted at kbwoodford@gmail.com

30 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

On Farm Story

Guardians of the land Innovating to advance is something that runs in the blood of those at Caythorpe Family Estate in Marlborough. Fiona Terry spoke to the Bishell brothers managing the business they hope will thrive for many generations to come.

S FIFTHGENERATION guardians of the land first purchased by UK immigrant David Bishell, Simon and Scott Bishell are continuing a long-standing tradition of diversification and trend-bucking to future-proof. Their great, great grandfather was a farm labourer who arrived in Nelson in 1876, with his wife Mary and three children. He leased some land to grow pumpkins, and following a successful crop, purchased 50ha west of Blenheim township in 1880. Within two years, and despite the hard mahi converting the flax-covered swamp land into a productive area, he became the first farmer in the country to grow red clover as a seed crop, commissioning the build of an innovative thresher to harvest. He produced quality cereal and vegetables, and later diversified into cattle and sheep – Lincoln’s, renowned for both fleece and meat, and familiar to him from the UK. His purchase of a neighbouring property in 1890 grew the farm, which he named after his home village in Lincolnshire, to its current size of 191ha. Now Caythorpe boasts 130ha of vineyard – 90% in sauvignon blanc – with an additional 16ha vineyard purchased off-site. It’s also gained a name for its successful cherry orchard, premium hay products, sheep and beef, and more. recently, its own award-winning wine label. With a keenness to use

technology and science, and an emphasis on sustainability and traceability, the brothers continue to build a business they hope will thrive for many generations. David ran the property up until the 1920s, with son Walter then taking on sheep and cattle production, diversifying Caythorpe into a successful stud farm. Third-generation Mervyn discontinued the stud operation, but pursued the animal and feed crops, and then in the early-80s, upon his death, eldest son Murray took over the running of the farm together with his wife Diana. They had already borrowed heavily to purchase a portion of the land for Murray to farm in his own right. With Mervyn’s passing, the couple were hit not only by 40% death duties, but interest rates over 20%, together with the demise of subsidies. “Death duties were almost greater than the land value,” Simon said. “They had two options – sell up to pay them off, or stay on the farm and do things differently.” The couple took a big gamble further diversifying into cherries in 1985-86, then planting a vineyard in 1987-88. Like their forebears, they weren’t afraid to go against the grain to innovate, opting for the then little-known varieties of sauvignon blanc and pinot noir. “There weren’t many vineyards back then and it certainly wasn’t seen as real farming,” he said. But Murray and Diana’s gamble paid off, and as the sauvignon blanc wave grew, Caythorpe was well positioned to ride it. By

LEGACY: Fourth-generation Murray Bishell has now retired but still lives on the property, which is a NZ Century Farm, having been worked by the same family for over a hundred years.

BROTHERS IN BUSINESS: Fifth-generation farmers Simon and Scott Bishell at a gateway to the original Caythorpe Family Estate homestead. Photos: Tim Cuff

1991-92, the vineyard and orchard accounted for only 5% of land area but produced 30-40% of the income.

Mum and dad worked really hard to diversify and keep the farm in our family, so Scott and I both want to continue that legacy. Simon Bishell Farmer Murray, who had no prior experience of growing grapes, embraced vineyard expansion but remained a firm fan of the agricultural side of the farm. He marked a number of other firsts in the region, including purchasing the first axial flow combine in Marlborough and being one of the earliest to irrigate process vegetable crops.

A successful national ploughing competitor, his enjoyment was the animals, tractors and crops – a passion eldest son Scott inherited. Scott graduated from Lincoln in 2003 with a BCom Ag, majoring in Farm Management, and after working overseas, returned to Caythorpe to continue its highly regarded name in sheep, beef and cropping. He’s carved a niche with customised hay mixes for the equine market, some including the red clover, which is still grown on-site. As a highly skilled ploughman, Scott still uses the four-furrowed reversible design his father trialled from Europe back in the 90s. For interim rejuvenation of pastures, he relies on his direct seed drill. “Haymaking has a long tradition at Caythorpe,” Scott said. “Returns are the same as the processed veg we used to grow, like peas and beans, but this is less intensive for the soil and I pride myself on the bales; I have one customer who bought hay from my grandfather and father, and now from me.” On the property still rests

Marlborough’s first self-tying twine hay baler, circa 1941, but these days Scott is proud to own the region’s first Multipack bale packing machinery. “It’s a total innovation for hay making and has been a gamechanger for us,” he said. At times paddocks are shut for seed, depending on hay demand, which this year has been high due to very dry conditions. Four wells on the property are vital for irrigation – the bleached Wither Hills are testament to what happens if ground is left to 500mm of annual rainfall. Scott, who lives on the south of the farm with his son Alex and wife Rachel – who runs a crafting and sewing shop in Blenheim – is also responsible for the farm’s bookkeeping and says if he were to put on his accountant’s hat, every

VIEW: The Wither Hills are a distinctive backdrop to the vineyards around Blenheim.

On Farm Story

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

FAMILY: Simon with his wife Sara and sons Cameron, one, and Lauchlan, three, in front of the Caythorpe Homestead.

HISTORY: Scott in the barn with a trap that his great-great grandfather David used.

paddock would be converted to grapes. “If all I was doing was maximising our profit, then there’s no way I’d be doing any of this,” he said, gesturing to the paddocks of Angus heifers, ewe stock of Romneys and Longdowns, and meadows with neat lines of freshly cut lucerne, clover, grasses and herbs. At the property’s border is the primary school he and Simon attended before moving to Nelson College as boarders, and where Alex is now a pupil. “But that’s not the whole story

for us – history and diversity are important too,” he said. This provenance has proved a useful marketing tool for the wine Simon started in 2015; the image on the bottle features ancestor David, with his first three Lincoln ewes. Simon lives in the farm’s 1940s homestead with GP wife Sara – who is also a palliative care doctor and dance teacher. Their two plane-mad boys Lauchlan and Cameron enjoy the farm’s location at the end of Blenheim Airport’s runway. The vineyard enabled Simon

RIPE FOR THE PICKING: Simon overseeing the start of the pinot noir vines harvest.

to indulge his passion for science as there are many variables to consider in viticulture that impact flavour, aroma and wine quality. Following his Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology, and Postgrad in Commerce from Lincoln, he was handed the reins by Murray in 2005 for the vineyards, by then 80ha in size. In 2008 he took the title of New Zealand Young Viticulturist of the Year. With the sad illness and then loss of matriarch Diana in 2012, Murray retired, though still lives on the farm, providing invaluable advice when needed. Marlborough is now the country’s largest and most famous wine region. It’s vital there’s an efficient two-way relationship between the vineyard and the six wineries Caythorpe supplies with 95% of its grapes. The contractors prescribe ripeness specifications, and harvesting takes place over a crucial three to four week window. Every year Scott buys up to 1300 lambs for finishing, which double as herbicide-free weed and grass control in the 130ha of vineyards. Until the business’ own label, the brothers had no idea of the

true flavours their grapes – which in addition to sauvignon blanc and pinot noir now also include chardonnay, pinot gris and riesling – were creating. With their own single vineyard pick, they can now appreciate the nuances. The 2016 Sauvignon Blanc won Gold in the San Francisco International Wine Competition. “It’s been a hard slog starting a brand from scratch, but we’re lucky because the wine industry is collaborative,” Simon, who’s served in a number of industry governance roles, said. “Our winemaker Jeremy McKenzie understands the style I’m trying to create, which is quintessential Marlborough, and over-delivers on flavour and intensity at a value for money price point.” The wine is already being exported to the UK, US, Canada, mainland Europe and Asia. While specialised harvesting machinery is contracted in, the rows of vines on the property are spaced wider than industry tradition, at 3m apart – an astute move to enable the farm’s agricultural machinery to service the rows, rather than investing in more expensive vineyard-specific vehicles. These days, the estate’s fleet includes Scott’s prized John Deere 6130R, which uses the latest GPS technology with autosteer. Great grandfather Walter, who was the first in Marlborough to introduce a tractor with pneumatic tyres, would be proud. The rows of cut hay for baling are as neat as the vines and the GPS-guided spraying is invaluable for traceability. “Anywhere we can embrace technology to make life easier to work smarter and not harder, we’ll go for it,” Simon said. He’s now also trialling an innovative vine-like growing method for the cherry trees and doubling their orchard area to 4ha. Full netting is essential to protect the fruit from birds – the “bane of our lives” they say, since they are also damaging to the grape berries. “It’s a sweet spot here for cherries because ours ripen in time for pre-Christmas domestic consumption, which carries a premium price. However, there are

If all I was doing was maximising our profit, then there’s no way I’d be doing any of this … But that’s not the whole story for us – history and diversity are important too. Scott Bishell Farmer only half a dozen orchards left in Marlborough because cherries are bloody hard to grow, and vineyards have replaced them as a much more stable investment,” he said. “Cherries have a couple of crucial growth stages and if you get bad weather at either, it can be catastrophic. A number of critical factors determine success – they need a cold winter to enable fruit set, then warm conditions for the honeybees we bring in to pollinate, and there’s only about a 72-hour window when the flower’s viable. Sometimes there’s nil conversion from flowers to fruit.” Every season throws different challenges. In the vineyard yields have been lower this season due to weather conditions, with the added whammy of employment complications caused by covid-19 since there is a reliance on skilled RSE workers. “What we do forces us to think quickly and laterally, but also to draw on experiences from years gone by,” he said. “I’m super proud we’re fifthgeneration. Mum and dad worked really hard to diversify and keep the farm in our family, so Scott and I both want to continue that legacy. We’re fortunate because we play to each others’ strengths and bounce ideas off each other. “Something we both agree strongly about is that technology and markets change so rapidly in this industry that if you’re not progressing, you’re actually going backwards.” >> Video link: bit.ly/OFScaythorpe

Frasertown Jackson Road Auction

Rosedhu - farm it, hunt it, own it • 255 ha Wairoa hill country • 23 km north east of Wairoa • 12 main paddocks • Three stand woolshed • Ideal breeding unit • Areas of bush and manuka • First farm opportunity This farm will appeal to a wide range of buyers. Although it has no housing, with all the great options of being off the grid these days, there are opportunities to have weekend accommodation or a hunting lodge on the property.

Auction 5.30pm, Thu 29th Apr, 2021, 66 Reads Quay, Gisborne View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/GIR82015

Tom Lane M 021 058 7018

E toml@pb.co.nz

Dannevirke D/277 Graham Road Tender

High end dairy farm with size and scale A substantial dairy farm located in the dress circle of the Tararua District. This property has size and scale with 225 ha of flat to rolling, highly productive land, milking 600 cows and producing 220,000 kgMS per annum. Improvements include an immaculate main homestead positioned on an easy care section with stunning views encompassing surrounding farm land. An exceptional managers house, a workers house, a modern 42 ASHB milking shed and various implement shed. This dairy unit can be bought as a stand alone unit or with the beef/dairy support unit which is of contiguous land, featuring 146 ha of easy rolling to medium hill country. Both options have excellent soil fertility, well established pastures, good fencing and laneways.

Tender closes Thursday 8th April, 2021 at 2.00pm, Property Brokers Office, 4 Stanley Street, Dannevirke View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/DR83313

Jim Crispin M 027 717 8862 Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

E jimc@pb.co.nz Proud to be here

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 29, 2021

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Oamaru 266 Eastern Road, Otekaieke Auction

A real change in real estate.

Motivated Vendor

The Property Brokers and Farmlands partnership means great things for provincial real estate Together our combined strengths complement each other to create bigger networks, more buyers and better results. For more information call 0800 367 5263 or visit pb.co.nz/together

Proud to be together

Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008

• 423 ha located at Otekaieke, Waitaki Valley North Otago • Five-year production average of 602,000 kgMS or 1,474 milk solids per effective ha • 406 ha platform, strong pastures with good fertility • Modern automated 70 bail rotary dairy shed milking 1,600 cows • Price + GST (if any). Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

WAIPAKURA 386 State Highway 4, Upokongaro, Whanganui Waipakura comprises of a well-established farm with balanced contour consisting of a total of 282 Hectares currently run as a breeding/ fattening unit, within 10 minutes from Whanganui. Wintering 2400 su plus additional trading stock, depending on seasonal conditions. A complimentary mix of 34.5 ha of fertile flats suitable for cropping and a balance of medium to steeper hills with ample shelter and an abundance of quality water throughout. Improvements include a 2007 4-bedroom home, 4-stand wool shed, two sets of sheepyards, cattle yards, lockup implement shed plus hay/ truck shed and airstrip with bin.

Auction 2.00pm, Fri 23rd Apr, 2021, (unless sold prior) View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/OMR75319

Large scale dairy farm, location, soils, reliable water, modern infrastructure, all provide for a very efficient low input dairy unit. Return on investment at current milk prices and this value will impress

282.83 HA | 4 BED | 2 BATH Tender

nzr.nz/RX2760926

Tender Closing (unless sold prior) 11am, Thu 6 May 2021 NZR, 1 Goldfinch Street, Ohakune Jamie Proude AREINZ 027 448 5162 | jamie@nzr.nz Open Days: 11am - Guided Tour Wed 7 Apr 21 Sat 10 Apr 21 Wed 14 Apr 21 NZR Central Ltd | Licensed REAA 2008

WELL BALANCED & ATTRACTIVE 3769 Pohangina Valley East Road, Apiti, Manawatu Situated 10km east of Apiti village, "Ruarata" has been farmed by the same family for over 100yrs. Comprising close to 40ha of free draining flats, an area of attractive bush clad creek margin, with the balance medium hill country. Generally summer reliable, spring fed stock water is reticulated to most paddocks. Buildings incl. a well maintained 4 bedroom home and 3 std woolshed. Running predominately sheep in recent years, the property offers potential to be run more intensively. Open Day Wed 31/03 or view by appointment.

Ross Robertson M 021 023 27220

161.8 hectares Video on website

nzr.nz/RX2751547 Tender Closes 11am, Thu 29 Apr 2021, NZR, 20 Kimbolton Road, Feilding. Peter Barnett AREINZ 027 482 6835 | peter@nzr.nz NZR Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

IS IN THE AIR

Autumn leaves are there one minute, gone the next – much like rural and lifestyle properties in the current active market. Bayleys Country reveals 87 farm, speciality, and lifestyle property options for sale so, just as the trees will enter a new growth cycle, you can too As New Zealand’s number one rural real estate brand, the proven Bayleys’ rural team will lead your search for a change of scenery. The latest edition of Country also digs into the agri-tech sector, weaves its way into the world of wool and hemp fibre and scrolls through lifestyle property social media trends. Country also documents recent rural and lifestyle sales nationwide so you can get a feel for the market. Turn over a new leaf with Bayleys Country – call 0800 BAYLEYS or view online at bayleys.co.nz/country Altogether Better at guiding you in a fresh direction. LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

New dawn for strong wool

New Zealand’s strong wool sector is seeking ways to reinvent itself on the world stage.

Agritech future-proofs farms The sleeping giant of the export sector helping farms become smarter, and more sustainable.

FEATURING

FARM, SPECIALTY AND LIFESTYLE PROPERTIES FOR SALE ISSUE 1 – 2021

Residential / Commercial / Rural / Property Services

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 29, 2021

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

eves.co.nz New Listing

Boundary lines are indicative only

Hahei

Marlborough Glazebrook Station, 4620 Waihopai Valley Road

443 Hot Water Beach Road

Iconic freehold high country station

Horticulture, Landbank or Farm?

Tender Closes 4pm, Thurs 13 May Cnr Jocelyn Street and Main Road, Katikati (unless sold prior)

Located at the headwaters of the Waihopai River, Glazebrook is one of the largest freehold high country stations in the South Island spanning across 8882.7 hectares. Just a short drive from the famed Marlborough wine region, Glazebrook provides an expanse of river flats, native bush, freshwater streams, valleys and breathtaking vistas that extend upward into the high mountains. Combining diversified farming, tourism, honey harvesting, ETS registration and an extensive and highly acclaimed hunting operation, Glazebrook produces multiple revenue streams with opportunities for further development. Call now for more information or to arrange a viewing.

bayleys.co.nz/5514684

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty (unless sold prior)

4pm, Fri 30 Apr 2021 3 Deans Avenue, Chcristchurch View by appointment Kurt Lindsay 027 469 9685 kurt.lindsay@bayleys.co.nz Garry Ottmann 027 221 8337 garry.ottmann@bayleys.co.nz BE MARLBOROUGH LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008 WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

134ha farm in two titles (second title pending) with two homes in the heart of Hahei! An outstanding opportunity, for astute investors, land bankers and horticulturist developers alike to add immense value. Landbank, continue to run as a dairy farm, plant in horticulture, graze, or subdivide into lifestyle blocks with multiple potential sites with stunning views of Hot Water Beach and Hahei. The choice is yours! This location is everything! (+GST if any).

View 10.30am-12pm Sat 3 Apr & Sat 10 Apr or by appointment Durrelle Green 027 949 3725 durrelle.green@eves.co.nz

eves.co.nz/ektc07938 HMH Ltd, EVES Katikati & Waihi, Licensed under the REAA 2008

FOR SALE

Your one stop shop for rural Real Estate

STANDALONE COUNTDOWN ASSET 147 KIMBOLTON ROAD, FEILDING

Get in touch with your agent today

Get in touch farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate with your agent today to list your property next to news that farmers read. Contact your agent to advertise today.

REGIONAL SUPERMARKET INVESTMENT For the first time in over 25 years, 147 Kimbolton Road is now being offered to the market for sale.

+ Long established supermarket site

The asset comprises a rare opportunity to acquire a standalone supermarket investment with a long term lease in place to Countdown.

+ Major recent refurbishment

This high profile corner site provides a large underlying land area of 7,423sqm with drive around truck access and excellent car parking provisions (120 in total).

0800 85 25 80 farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

+ Net Floor Area : 2,815sqm (approx) + Net income: c. $676,000pa + GST DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY Thursday 29 April 2021 at 4.00pm (unless sold prior)

Underpinning this asset is the strong regional catchment with further confidence gained through major recent refurbishment of the property. Call our agents today for further information.

+ Strong lease profile

TIM ROOKES 027 562 3700

CAMERON DARBY 027 450 7902

RICK STACE 021 338 465

www.cbre.co.nz/23032021 CBRE (Agency) Limited, Licensed Real Estate Agent (REAA 2008)

RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

TENDER

ONEWHERO, WAIKATO Ponganui Road First Farm, Forestry or Run-Off The perfect first farm, additional grazing block or forestry investment. This well-presented 176ha property opens itself up to many options. Located in Onewhero approximately 25 kilometres from Pukekohe. Conservatively farmed for many years as a sheep and beef breeding and finishing unit with a regular fertiliser and a weed control program in place. 15 paddocks are accessed via a central, mostly metal, access track. Fencing is of a high standard with troughs in all paddocks. This big 176ha block is part of a strong farming district known for producing healthy stock with good kill weights.

TENDER

Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold By Private Treaty) Closes 3.00pm, Thursday 29 April

VIEW By Appointment Only

Jim Scorrar M 027 481 1811 E jscorrar@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz/PUK33987

3237 Ohura Rd - Waiora Farm - 320 hectares Very well presented 320 hectare (more or less) property. This is a very well balanced contoured finishing and breeding property that is a turnkey operation for the next owner. Not many boxes left unticked. Contour approximates are 30ha of flats, 143ha of rolling to easy hill, 43ha of medium hills, 100ha of steeper hills and 4ha of bush. One 2011 executive three bedroom home with en-suite, log burner with wetback and two double garages - one with sleep-out. The second dwelling is a three bedroom cottage which includes a log burner with wetback, insulation throughout and a double shed. pggwre.co.nz/TEK33970

Traditional Farm Large traditional 586 hectare sheep and beef farm situated 22kms from Franklin's livestock yards. School bus to the popular Onewhero Area School. The property is subdivided into 35 main paddocks with multiple sets of sheep and cattle yards. Good support buildings. Spacious home set in mature gardens has three bedrooms, two living rooms, two bathrooms plus office. Two-car garage with attached sleep-out with ensuite/bathroom. Plus a threebedroom farm cottage. Added opportunity to substantially increase the farm size with 636 hectares across the road also for sale.

www.pggwre.co.nz

TENDER

Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold Prior) Closes 4.00pm, Friday 23 April

VIEW By Appointment Only

Adrian van Mil M 027 473 3632 E avanmil@pggwrightson.co.nz

NEW LISTING

AUCTION

(Unless Sold Prior) 11.00am, Friday 30 April Panorama Motel, 59 Awakino Road, Te Kuiti

VIEW 11.00-12.00pm

Monday 29 March, 5 & 12 April

Peter Wylie M 027 473 5855 E pwylie@pggwrightson.co.nz

ARTHURTON, OTAGO 41 Otaria Road

DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY

Plus GST (if any) Closes 12 noon, Wednesday 21 April

Scale - Diversification – Location! First time offered for sale since the 1970’s, this stunning 401ha property has it all and is a credit to our vendors for the improvements made over this time. Three bedroom homestead and separate sleep-out nestled in park like surrounds, 4 stand R/B woolshed and covered yards, cattle yards, satellite sheep yards, deer shed and yards, excellent rock track access, stock water scheme, forestry plantings, plus more.

Nigel Moore

M 027 444 6132

Derek Ayson

M 027 667 9601

www.pggwre.co.nz/GOR33921

Licensed under the REAA 2008

PROPERTY PROPERTY

Helping grow the country

PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

onnections ount

pggwre.co.nz/PUK33880

AUCTION

TAUMARUNUI, KING COUNTRY

ONEWHERO-WAIKATO

Connect with experience, knowledge, nationwide reach, and great rural properties in the latest issue of Property Expresss!

Express Express

pggwre.co.nz/publications

PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under the REAA 2008

Helping grow the country

Tech & Toys

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 29, 2021

farmersweekly.co.nz/advertising 0800 85 25 80

E R O M D E E N

N O I T C A TR ARM?

16”

$1499

F E H T ON

17”

$1699

Get the NEW Terrafirma errafirma 50/50 Rugged Terrain Wheel & Tyre Package CALL US TODAY!

0800 453 373

Terms & Conditions Apply

SHEEP JETTER Sheep dipping… made easier!

• Fantastic penetration • Get one now before price increase

7685

Innovative Agriculture Equipment

Serving NZ Farmers since 1962

+ GST

LK0105676©

• Manufactured from stainless steel • Electric Eye • 800-1000 sheep per hour

www.pppindustries.co.nz / sales@pppindustries.co.nz / 0800 901 902

HEAVY DUTY BERTI MULCHERS

MAKE SHORT WORK OF ANYTHING. WHEN IT COMES TO HEAVY PRUNING AND TOUGHER STANDING GORSE AND SCRUB, FORESTRY MULCHERS HAVE THE POWER AND CAPABILITY TO GET THE JOB DONE.

FGD1176

Talk to us now for mulchers up to 6.0m working width and for tractors up to 300hp. To see videos of these mulchers in action visit our website. CALL FARMGARD 24 HOURS

FIND OUT MORE AT

Nationwide Dealer

0800 FARMGARD

farmgard.co.nz

Service Network

35 years, Generations of

Experience

Heavy duty means made for heavy work - and quality built BERTI mulchers have the design and construction to power through any task. • Mulches tree prunings • Thick standing gorse and scrub • Heavy duty, swinging hammer or tungsten carbide fixed tooth options • For tractors up to 300hp

classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

Primary Pathways – Jobs, Education & Training

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 29, 2021

AGRONOMIST Cedenco Foods New Zealand Ltd is a leading NZ based food processing company with modern facilities in Gisborne, supplying domestic and international customers with a diversified range of value-added food ingredients. "Maximising your return through personal livestock management"

We are currently looking for an Agronomist to join our Gisborne team.

STAFF Vacancies

Station Cook & General Hand

B.Y.L. LIMITED - LIVESTOCK AGENT

Positions have become available for a Cook and a General Hand on our 30,000su property 20km east of Taihape.

We are a growing livestock company based in the Waikato, with a large established client base, specialising in dairy, beef and sheep. We also operate a large lease bull business.

STATION COOK: This full time position consists of

Our small professional team of agents are backed by strong administrative

cooking three meals a day for 3-4 permanent staff on the basis of a 5-day week, plus for casual staff when required.

support from our office-based team. We have strong relationships with other

GENERAL HAND: This full time position involves tractor and machinery work, including spraying, track and water system maintenance and feeding out. Along with general farm duties, some fencing and yard repairs will be required.

livestock agents and livestock companies which allow us to network and operate nationwide. We are giving an opportunity for the right person to join our team. The ideal person will be enthusiastic, organized, self motivated, honest, driven with a

Tidy accommodation is available. Primary school bus at gate and secondary school at Taihape. Couples/individuals may apply with covering letter and CV to:

positive attitude and have a passion for livestock and/or farming. Previous background in agricultural sales would be an advantage but not a necessity.

The successful applicant will have responsibility for working with our growers and within the company’s farming operation to optimise production of vegetable crops, working within the Cedenco team coordinating harvesting activities and deliveries to the factory, managing crop R&D programs and developing and managing sustainability initiatives. The ideal candidate will have a passion for NZ agribusiness, a desire to apply technology and science to developing better crop outcomes and be a people person with proven interpersonal skills and success working in a team environment. We offer a competitive remuneration package, dependent on skills and experience, and the company has a professional performance based management system that will identify and cultivate opportunities for advancement and leadership for successful people. If you are looking to work with a great team of people in a role where you can really make a difference and utilise your qualification, skills and experience, then this position provides a great opportunity for you. You must be eligible to work in New Zealand and complete a pre-employment medical, drug test and police check. If you think this sounds like you contact Sophie: sophiej@cedenco.co.nz

Cameron Wilton E: cwilton@inspire.net.nz | Ph: (06) 388 0852 Address: c/o Mounganui Station, RD 2, Taihape.

For further information about Cedenco, visit our website: www.cedenco.co.nz LK0106490©

Remuneration will initially be salary based, moving in time to commission based with retainer, with no limit on earnings. If you believe you are the right fit for our team we would love to hear from you. For more information or to apply please contact General Manager -

JOBS BOARD

Operations, Jimmy O'Hearn via email to jimmy@byl.co.nz

byllivestock.co.nz

byllivestock

farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz • Agronomist • Dairy

Hoki Season 2021 – Fish Processing Roles

Sealord is a New Zealand based global seafood enterprise with a world-wide fishing, processing and marketing network that leads the seafood industry in the careful and sustainable management of fish and seafood resources.

• Livestock Representatives

• Dairy Sheep Farm Manager

• Senior Agronomist

• Farm Staff Recruitment

• Shepherd General

Need staff?

• Shepherd

• Sealord Group Ltd

• Station Cook & General Hand

• Labourer

• Stock Manager

*FREE upload to Farmers Weekly jobs: farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz *conditions apply

LK0105354©

Contact Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

We are now recruiting for dedicated seasonal staff for various positions in our land-based factory in Nelson during Hoki season 2021.

0800 85 25 80

The season runs from mid-May until approximately midSeptember 2021 providing steady work for approximately 18 weeks.

classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

Farmers are you ready for the new employer accreditation process? We can help!

Shifts available are: Day shift – 6am - 2.30pm, (8 hours) Afternoon shift – 4.00pm - 12.00am, (8 hours) School hours shift – 9.30am - 2.30pm, (5 hours) (TBC) Night shift – processing line cleaning and factory setup – 10.00pm - 6.00am, (8 hours)

farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

Farm Staff Recruitment and Immigration Specialists • Our recruitment team sources qualified New Zealand and migrant candidates for all farm roles including management and contract milking • Nine experienced licensed immigration advisers – specialist knowledge in dairy • Work visas, residence and difficult cases • Offices in Hamilton and Christchurch

Vessel discharge – early mornings coinciding with vessels. There will also be overtime and weekend work when required. What we are looking for, are people who will: • be 100% committed to Health and Safety • be able to work with continuous processing lines • have good hand to eye coordination • be physically able to do lifting • be punctual, reliable and have good time management

Your trusted recruitment & immigration partner since 2006

LK0106398©

Call us on 07 850 1411 or 027 911 1343 or email us on phil@greenstone-recruitment.co.nz

Some skilled operator positions are also available including forklift drivers and filleters.

LK0106451©

Offering competitive pay and benefits, apply now! Register online at www.sealord.com/nz/careers/ and follow the steps to upload your details. Applicants will be contacted with details of the next steps in our recruitment process.

Advertise your job in Farmers Weekly

www.greenstone-recruitment.co.nz www.greenstoneglobal.co.nz

Noticeboard

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 29, 2021

DOLOMITE NZ’s finest BioGro certified Mg fertiliser For a delivered price call ....

0800 436 566

SCOTTY’S CONTRACTORS NZ’s #1 Under Woolshed/Covered Yards Cleaning Specialist For Over A Decade

LK0105451©

We also clean out and remetal cattle yards – Call us!

Heavy duty long lasting

Selling something?

Ph 021 047 9299

0800 85 25 80

LK0106456©

WORKING TAUMARUNUI AREA Book your shed now

scottnewman101@gmail.com

DAIRY GRAZING AVAILABLE

DOGS WANTED

FLY OR LICE problem? Electrodip – the magic eye sheepjetter since 1989 with unique self adjusting sides. Incredible chemical and time savings with proven effectiveness. Phone 07 573 8512 w w w. e l e c t r o d i p . c o m

R2 HEIFERS. Carryover cows. Winter cows. Enquiries Paula 027 232 5369 - Denise 021 157 3141 vttrading@xtra.co.nz

BUYING, SELLING DOGS NZ Wide. www. youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos – email: mikehughesworkingdogs@ farmside.co.nz 07 315 5553

CRAIGCO SHEEP JETTERS. Sensor Jet. Deal to fly and Lice now. Guaranteed performance. Unbeatable pricing. Phone 06 835 6863. www.craigcojetters.com

www.underthewoolshed.kiwi

Ph: Scott Newman 027 26 26 272 0800 27 26 88

ANIMAL HANDLING

WORD ONLY ADVERTISING. Phone Marie on 0800 85 25 80.

ATTENTION FARMERS FAST GRASS www.gibb-gro.co.nz GROWTH PROMOTANT Only $6.00 per hectare + GST delivered Call Grant Morris 0508 GIBBGRO (0508 442247) grant@Gibb-Gro.co.nz

Call Debbie

DOGS FOR SALE KELPIES. FOUR GIRLS, one red and three blues. Natural workers, references available. $600 each. Phone 09 439 6720. WE HAVE A TOP selection of young Huntaways for sale. We are not traders we are breeders trainers and sellers based in Southland. Transport to the North Island no problem. Join us on facebook workingdogsnewzealand. Check out our web site w w w. r i n g w a y k e n n e l s . co.nz. Ringway Kennels. Phone 027 248 7704.

DOGS WANTED 12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195.

FORESTRY WANTED

NATIVE FOREST FOR MILLING also Macrocarpa and Red Gum, New Zealand wide. We can arrange permits and plans. Also after milled timber to purchase. NEW ZEALAND NATIVE TIMBER SUPPLIERS (WGTN) LIMITED 04 293 2097 Richard.

classifieds@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

GOATS WANTED GOATS WANTED. All weights. All breeds. Prompt service. Payment on pick up. My on farm prices will not be beaten. Phone David Hutchings 07 895 8845 or 0274 519 249. Feral goats mustered on a 50/50 share basis. NAKI GOATS. Trucking goats to the works every week throughout the NI. Mustering available. Phone Michael and Clarice. 027 643 0403.

GRAZING AVAILABLE

FARM MAPPING

HEIFER GRAZING AVAILABLE May to May. 160-180 heifers. Summer safe, baleage fed out through winter months. References available. Phone 021 734 055.

IMPROVE AND SIMPLIFY day-to-day farm management with maps showing names and paddock sizes. Visit farmmapping.co.nz for a free quote.

HAY ROUNDS $75+gst; squares $60+gst. BALEAGE $75+gst. Unit loads available. Top quality. Phone 021 455 787.

HAY FOR SALE

HORTICULTURE NZ KELP. FRESH, wild ocean harvested giant kelp. The world’s richest source of natural iodine. Dried and milled for use in agriculture and horticulture. Growth promotant / stock health food. As seen on Country Calendar. Orders to: 03 322 6115 or info@nzkelp.co.nz

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE WILTSHIRES-ARVIDSON. Self shearing sheep. No1 for Facial Eczema. David 027 2771 556. WILTSHIRE RAM LAMBS 66kgs, July born. Benneydale Wiltshires. King Country. 10yrs est. Full shedding. $350+gst 40 for you to pick. High rainfall soft land resistant. Phone Joe Hodge 027 280 6747. BOOK AN AD. For only $2.10 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds section. Phone Marie on 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

REMOTE AIRLESS PAINTING

ANY BUILDING OR roof on any paddock. No power required. Give your old shed or building that fresh new look. Your choice of colour. Over 30 years experience. Contact PaveMark Sprayers. South Island only. 0800 54 36 48 or email: sales@pavemarkltd.co.nz FOR ONLY $2.10 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds. Phone Marie on 0800 85 25 80 to book.

SHEEP SCANNING AVAILABLE SERVICING SOUTH WAIKATO, King Country, Ruapehu, Taihape areas. Nine years experience, NZ & UK. Fully Pneumatic, 3 Way drafting, EID available. No mob too big or small. Wet/dry to Triplet and foetal ageing. Phone for prices and availability 027 479 4918.

50 TON WOOD SPLITTER GENUINE REDUCTION

Lease land wanted to grow export hay. South Island wide. Large areas of lease land required. Dryland and irrigated. Would consider anything.

12HP, Diesel, Electric Start

LK0106110©

Please phone or text Andrew Quigley 027 436 9307 andrew.quigley@quigleyfeeds.co.nz

Heavy duty construction for serious wood splitting. Towable.

the

WOOLY T

Available in Squares & Rounds Phone Mark 0800 478 729 or Tracey 027 554 1841

QUALITY Feeds You Can TRUST livestock@globalhq.co.nz– 0800 85 25 80

www.kellswool.co.nz

‘the WOOLY T’ …is a versatile, light weight resilient merino T. Made from NZ’s highest quality merino fabric, it is soft against the skin, breathable and odour-resistant. Its extra long body length adds to the comfort. $89.00 pp Available on the Kells Wool website or phone www.kellswool.co.nz 06 835 6174

Special Price

$4200

$3900 GST INCLUSIVE

Very limited stock To find out more visit

www.moamaster.co.nz Phone 027 367 6247 Email: info@moamaster.co.nz

Livestock Noticeboard

Better Bulls, Better Calves Help farmers choose the right bulls for their herd by joining our Dairy Farmer May feature. Booking deadline 8 April

To find out more, contact Ella Holland on 06 323 0761, 027 602 4925 or email livestock@globalhq.co.nz

LK0106423©

LK0106102©

BARLEY & WHEAT STRAW RYE GRASS STRAW MEADOW HAY LUCERNE & MEADOW BALEAGE

livestock@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

Livestock Noticeboard

Check out Poll Dorset NZ on Facebook

SALE TALK

Kohitiata – Edenmore Heifer Sale

STOCK FOR SALE Proudly Based in Hawke’s Bay

Lines R2YR BULLS 400-520kg

Monday April 5th 12 noon Church Street, Makotuku, Dannevirke

R2YR ANG & AHX STEERS 400-450kgs

Incalf Heifers: 30 Jerseys, 6 Holstein Friesians, 4 Ayrshires, 5 Milking Shorthorns, 4 Kiwicross. Good genetics milked OAD under not ideal conditions, these cattle are bred to shift well.

STOCK REQUIRED

STORE LAMBS MALES/EWES 28-45kg

ANGUS STEER CALVES 230kg 750 BREEDING EWES

SHIRE®

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 29, 2021

Vegan diet plus some polled genes = environmentally friendly! Catalogues available. Contact Vendor Norm Atkins 06 374 1808 mob 027 374 1005 Sales Manager Ross Riddell 0272 111 112

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381 A Financing Solution For Your Farm E info@rdlfinance.co.nz

Linking buyers and sellers

LK0106472©

Wiltshire Stud established 1987 • SHIRE® Stud discovered 1998

Catalogue of rams available. See link below: http://www.organic-rams.co.nz/images/2021RamCatalogue-07Mar2021.pdf

Phone Tim, Helen & Bob Gow 03 225 5283 www.organic-rams.co.nz • Email: tim@organic-rams.co.nz

Stock sale coming up? Give Ella a bell: 0800 85 25 80

250 JERSEY COWS OAD Herd $1440 Comprising a high percentage of young cows. Includes a high Jersey content with a good number of black type cows. PW125 PW 136. Calving from 20th July/Jersey Tailed with LBW Hereford bulls. Options to split.

TOP CRV NOMINATED LONG ESTABLISHED PREDOMINATELY FRIESIAN DAIRY HERD & MACHINERY AUCTION

Proudly New Zealand Owned

ENQUIRIES TO: Carrfields Agent Pat Sheely 027 496 0153 pat.sheely@carrfields.co.nz or your local Carrfields Agent VENDOR: Colin & Wendy 027 486 6135

View catalogue on

www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

The man nods his head in agreement, opened it, drank half the bottle and then handed it back to the woman. The woman took the bottle, immediately put the cap back on, and handed it back to the man. The man asks, “Aren’t you having any?” She replies, “Nah. I think I’ll just wait for the police.”

50 MA cows 16 R2 Heifers 19 R2 Bulls 11 R1 Heifers 19 R1 Bulls

DISPERSAL SALE THURSDAY 15 APRIL AT 12noon

BEEFGEN Livestock Manager: Brian Pearson Mobile: 0210 907 1688 Email: brian@beefgen.com

NATIONWIDE DAIRY SPECIALISTS Go to: www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz Register your requirements and be informed when new listings arrive

Live bidding available

Brent Bougen NZFL Stud Stock 027 210 4698 Stephen Sutton NZFL Agent 027 442 3207 MyLivestock.co.nz

Ariki Angus www.arikiangus.co.nz p: 06 7523884

TARANAKI COMBINED FRIESIAN BREEDERS AUCTION Wednesday 7th April 2021 at 50 Denbigh Road Midhurst – Taranaki Start time 12.00 noon D/N 41201 To be conducted undercover, complimentary BBQ

LIVE EXPORTS WANTED: Several options - Top $$$$ Call Paul Kane 027 286 9279

Comprising 31 Holstein Friesian Dairies • 19 x In-Calf Rising 2yr Heifers • 2 x In-Calf Dairy Cows • 10 x Rising 1yr Heifers • 70 Straws of Friesian Semen

SELECTION OF LISTINGS: • DR2199 – 18 x CRL JsyX Hfrs BW195 PW221 DTC 16/7 Top I/C hfrs, Frsn’s sold $1550 Call: Mike 027 674 1149

DETAILS: • Full catalogue available • High quality replacement dairies

• DH2211 – 250 x Frsn/FrsnX herd BW113 PW125 R/a 96% 380ms DTC 21/7, hard farm $1690 Call: Bunter 027 444 1169

PAYMENT TERMS: 30th April 2021 With delivery ASAP after Auction AUCTIONEERS NOTE: Special thank you to Gary & Karen Peters for allowing the Auction on their farm.

• DH2104 – 190 Xbred LIC herd BW110 PW132 R/a 96% DTC 15/7 Low inputs $1650 Call Mike 027 674 1149 • DR2193 – 45 x Top Jsy I/C Hfrs BW219 PW220 DTC 25/7 $1600 Call Jason 021 170 5354 Contact your local agent or call: Trevor Hancock 027 283 8389 or Paul Kane: 027 286 9279

547 Ngatimaru Road, Tikorangi, Taranaki LK0106231©

BEEFGEN Office: Teeshay Harrison Phone: 06 927 7154 Email: export@beefgen.com

LK0105987©

LK0106450©

Payment Date: Livestock payment due 31st May 2021 – Deliveries immediate or by 31st May 2021. Machinery payments on day of Auction.

the

118 LOTS

Please contact your local agent for more information.

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT: John Deere 6310 with Cab 99hp 4wd (14,000hrs) with Pearson Loader & Bucket – 2017 4wd John Deere 614R 150hp (2300hrs) with Cab & FEL – Log Grab (Taupo Hand) – 5x deer gates – 2m silage fork – Rata silage grab – Mashio rotary hoe – 3000L plastic tank – Krone 3.2m mower – Pearsons soft grab – Duncan MK3 renovator drill – Belcher 3ptl drain cleaner – Taupo roller – 200L portable diesel tank – Electric compressor – 3000L liquid urea tank with 2” Honda motor – Stihl BT120 post hole borer – Prescott tandem trailer with crate – Head bale – 220kw milk lift pump – Molasse pump – Jenquip F200 Plate meter – Knapsacks – 3200psi water blaster – 700L SS petrol tank – 2000L diesel tank – 2017 570 Can Am 4x4 bike – Honda 420 4x4 bike – Young C welder – 170 arc welder – Ford tractor weights – Calf trailer – Stallion 50t feeder – Sam 6t fert spreader – Gas dehorner – Calf crush – Effluent stirrer – 2x C-dax bike spray tanks – 800L C-dax spray tank hyd 10mtr – 3x PKE trailers – Cambridge roller – Sam 8 cube centre feed out wagon – 200x100 Douglas Fir beams – Harrows – 4x concrete feed troughs – Bertarelli 600L spray tank 6m – Taupo Roller – Reels & standards – plus loads of farm sundries. AUCTIONEERS NOTE: Farmed in colder climate, well managed, totally recommend this reliable high-performance herd. Pre-auction inspections welcomed. You will be impressed.

The woman continued, “And look at this, here’s another miracle. My car is completely demolished, but my bottle of 75 year old single malt scotch didn’t break. Surely God meant for us to drink this vintage delicacy and celebrate our good fortune.”

Comprising:

BEEFGEN is currently purchasing animals for live export: Holstein Friesian Heifers (Born 2020)

COMPRISING: • 340 Frsn & FrsnX complete dairy herd. BW53/51 PW65/54 R/A 91% - HB Shed DETAILS: • Capacious dairy cows – farmed by owners for 25 years • Best production avg 532kg/ms – on track to 480kg this season • Sold in milk – calving dates verified – Herd tested • DTC 23/7 to Nom CRV for 5wks – tailed Hereford • TB C10, Lepto Vacc, BVD vaccinated, all dairies in good condition

The man replied, “I agree with you completely.This must be a sign from God!”

Supplied by Lindsey Thompson

ENQUIRIES TO: Carrfields Agents: Steve Quinnell 027 278 3837 steve.quinnell@carrfields.co.nz or Trevor Hancock 027 283 8389 trevor.hancock@carrfields.co.nz View Catalogue at:

LK0106381©

A/c Colin & Wendy Broomfield Date: Thursday 15th April 2021 at 145 Forrest Road, Reporoa D/c No. 79029 Start time: Machinery 10.00am & Livestock 11.30am

Contact: Noel Baker 027 455 5828

There’s nothing left, but fortunately we are unhurt. This must be a sign from God that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace for the rest of our days.

Then she handed bottle to the man.

HERD FOR SALE

LK0106439©

NO FLY STRIKE, NO DAGGING, NO SHEARING, NO VACCINES, NO DIPPING, NO DRENCHING SINCE 1989

LK0106466©

SHIRE® (hair) & WILTSHIRE (shedding)

A Woman ran a red traffic light and crashed into a man’s car. Both cars are totalled, but amazingly neither driver was hurt. After both crawled out of their cars, the woman said, “Wow, just look at our cars!

www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

Advertise your livestock in the Farmers Weekly. It’s no bull. Contact Ella: 06 323 0761 / 027 602 4925 livestock@globalhq.co.nz farmersweekly.co.nz

Now with reduced PGG Wrightson rate

You’re in control with PGG Wrightson For trading and finishing stock. PGG Wrightson buy the stock. No initial cash outlay for you.

You decide when and where we sell the stock - store or prime. You receive the trading margin from the stock, less our rate and selling costs.

Use your capital funds elsewhere. Simple to set up and easy to use. We own the stock. You graze the stock. We use our livestock agency services to buy and sell the stock.

* All of the above is subject to our GO-STOCK contract terms.

Check out our full range of GO-STOCK products:

For further information contact your local livestock rep or email us at GoStock@pggwrightson.co.nz or go to pggwrightson.co.nz/Go-Stock pggwrightson.co.nz/Go-Stock

Helping grow the country

livestock@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

Livestock Noticeboard

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 29, 2021

NZ’s Virtual Saleyard Livestock advertising?

UPCOMING AUCTIONS

Key: Dairy

Wednesday, 31 March 2021 7.30pm Northbrook Milking Shorthorn Heifer Sale

Going Going Gone!

Wednesday, 7 April 2021 7.00pm Cawdor Stud Herd Reduction Sale - first run Thursday, 8 April 2021 7.00pm Cawdor Stud Herd Reduction Sale - second run

Contact Ella:

0800 85 25 80

Tuesday, 13 April 2021 6.00pm Link Livestock Jersey Pride Sale

livestock@globalhq.co.nz

For more information go to bidr.co.nz or contact the team on 0800 TO BIDR

PROGRESSIVE LIVESTOCK LTD CLEARING SALE ON-FARM HILL COUNTRY LAMB SALE

Location On Farm 137 Lepper Road, Inglewood Dairy Number 43106 Sale date: 9 April 2021 Start time: 11.00am approx. • BW123 • PW112 (BW up to 261, PW up to 407. Calving date 25/7/21). Scanned and dated 4.5 weeks. Nominated CRV Friesian and Crossbred bulls tailed with Jersey bulls. • Delivery date: week following the sale 1st June delivery with prior arrangements before the sale for incoming new share milkers. • Payment: 14 days after the sale, deferred payment until 1st June 2021 with prior arrangements. • Food on the day with proceeds going to New Plymouth conductive education. Vendor: Neil & Trudy Vince

Vendor Agent Contact

Taranaki PL Agents Kim Harrison 027 288 6845 John Davidson 027 452 3882 www.progressivelivestock.co.nz

LK0106475©

Kent Myers 027 247 6970 kent.myers@progressivelivestock.co.nz

Lloyd & Sonia Holloway & Family, Waitara Station, 348 Brooks Road, Te Pohue Thursday 15th April 2021 12noon start 11am Viewing on Farm Perendale lambs Approximate tallies: • 2700 Wether lambs – 1500 Ewe lambs • 150 MA Ewes RWR Terminal Sire Black Face Ram went out 20/02 Late Lambing date (20th September) Home Bred UNDRAFTED lambs. Excellent stock health and breeding history. Antibiotic Free. Farmed on property rising up to 4200 feet above sea level. Contact: Sam Wright 027 247 9035 PGG Wrightson Tom Mowat 027 462 0190 Hazlett Ltd Jack Twigley 027 462 0075 Hazlett Ltd

Ready to talk some Bull? Contact Ella: 0800 85 25 80 or email livestock@globalhq.co.nz

BW 178

0800 TO BIDR (0800 86 2437)

Other

DAIRY HERDS & IN-CALF HEIFERS FOR SALE

BW 82

PW 96

$1,680

•

RA 82% Long established herd, Good udder

conformation. Bulls taken out 12th Dec. Shaan Featherstone 027 666 1198 Agonline ref: 9708

BW 79

PW 111

$1,700+GST

•

RA 95% No old cows, strong high producing predominantly Friesian cows. Will computer split out any number, tight calving patterns. Andrew Reyland 027 223 7092 Agonline ref: 9123

NATIONAL TEAM. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE. 2021 MID/SOUTH CANTERBURY CALF SALE DATES Glenlyon & Huxley Gorge

12 Noon, 31 March

Castleridge & Mt Arrowsmith Onfarm

12 Noon, 6 April

10am Hakataramea 6 April

Eastern Section Temuka

10am 7 April

Omarama Section

Omarama

10am 8 April

Mackenzie Section

Temuka

10am 9 April

Western Section Temuka Fairlie Basin Section Temuka Geraldine, Mid Canterbury & Chathams Temuka Enquiries: Joe Higgins 027 431 4041

•

50 XBred InCalf Heifers $1,300+GST

PW 167

•

RA 100% VIC with bull removed early. Immediate delivery. Regan Craig 027 502 8585 Agonline ref: 10044

42 Friesian/Friesian X InCalf Heifers $1,475+GST

PW 165

•

CRL (PRLN) minus Friesian (Exported) Well grown. Allan Jones 027 224 0768 Agonline ref: 9883

29 XBred InCalf Heifers BW 144

$1,550+GST

PW 153

•

RA 100% Well grown, F10 or better. 1st May delivery. Richard Johnston 027 444 3570 Agonline ref: 9937

WILLOW DOWNS JERSEYS LTD COMPLETE DISPERSAL SALE BY AUCTION ONLINE

Temuka

Hakataramea Section

$1,650+GST

Dean Evans 027 243 1092 Agonline ref: 9838

BW 153

210 Frsn/Frsn X Cows

PW149

RA 98% Spring calving content out of Autumn calving herd, production 600 M/S per cow, SCC 117. Calving 10th July-23rd Sept. Computer split into 2 mobs of 40.

BW 144

+GST

•

80 M/A Frsn/Frsn X Cows BW 99

PGG Wrightson Dairy representatives are specialists at marketing and selling dairy herds. Benefit from the nationwide team that is dedicated to matching herds with the right buyers and achieving an optimal outcome for your business.

$1,700+GST

PW 165

RA 100% Milked on a challenging hill farm. Nominated AB with the last 3 years been Ambreed only. System 2, low SCC. Good, strong Jersey Cows with great confirmation. Regan Craig 027 502 8585 Agonline ref: 9293

10am 14 April 10am 16 April

Wednesday 14th April 2021 at 11.00am Vendor Joanne Hamilton, 292 Argyle – Otahuti Road, Waianiwa, Southland Pre inspection by arrangement with selling agent 138 M/A Jersey Cows 25 InCalf Jersey Heifers 25 R1 Jersey Heifers 8 Mixed Aged Jersey Bulls Plus,166 Straws of Jersey Semen Catalogue available from selling agent and Agonline Enquires: Roddy Bridson PGGW 027 458 2775

10am 21 April

Secure Your Dairy Herd Now Contact your local rep

Freephone 0800 10 22 76 | www.pggwrightson.co.nz

.co.nz

Sheep

169 M/A Jersey Cows

225 MA Frsn/Frsn X Cows

150 x Friesian / Friesian Cross Rising 2nd Calvers

Cattle

Helping grow the country

Bid online Bid on farm

WOOL

Integrity NZ™

Your trusted wool partner

The Integrity logo is fram This grounds the log The logo is

Backed by our long-standing International relationships fostered over many years through our International Sale & Marketing company Bloch & Behrens, PGG Wrightson’s Flexi-Wool and Crossbred Lamb’s Wool contracts continue to provide our customers with prices that are well above spot market levels. These contracts have returned millions of dollars of premiums directly into the back pocket of our valued grower clients, with payments made

in full on time every time To the wool growers who have taken these opportunities, thank you for your support. Woolgrowers who want to discuss opportunities – LET’S TALK! Please contact your local PGG Wrightson wool representative: Ph 0800 497 496 wooladmin@pggwrightson.co.nz

Freephone 0800 497 496

pggwrightson.co.nz/wool

Helping grow the country

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Market Snapshot brought to you by the AgriHQ analysts.

Mel Croad

Suz Bremner

Reece Brick

Nicola Dennis

Sarah Friel

Caitlin Pemberton

Deer

Sheep

Cattle BEEF

SHEEP MEAT

VENISON

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.00

4.95

NI lamb (17kg)

6.55

6.50

7.00

NI Stag (60kg)

5.20

7.30

NI Bull (300kg)

5.00

4.95

NI mutton (20kg)

5.10

4.60

SI Stag (60kg)

5.35

7.30

NI Cow (200kg)

3.50

3.40

SI lamb (17kg)

6.25

6.80

SI Steer (300kg)

4.50

4.60

SI mutton (20kg)

5.00

4.10

SI Bull (300kg)

4.50

4.65

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

SI Cow (200kg)

3.20

3.25

3.20

UK CKT lamb leg

10.73

10.63

10.60

US imported 95CL bull

7.81

7.50

8.76

US domestic 90CL cow

7.81

7.15

9.01

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week Prior week

Last year

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

$/kg CW

5.50

5.0

5.00

$/kg CW

4.00 South Island steer slaughter price

6.50 $/kg CW

5.50

10.0 South Island lamb slaughter price

Oct

Dec 5-yr ave

Feb

2019-20

Dairy

Aug 2020-21

Apr 2019-20

Jun

Last week

Prior week

Last year

2.41

2.43

2.49

Nearby contract

891

787

DAP

Top 10 by Market Cap Company

YTD High

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd

32.3

36.21

YTD Low 27.1

Meridian Energy Limited (NS)

5.16

9.94

5.06

Auckland International Airport Limited

7.52

7.99

6.65

Mercury NZ Limited (NS)

6.45

7.6

5.79

395

Spark New Zealand Limited

4.41

4.97

4.4

390

Ryman Healthcare Limited

14.96

15.99

14.5

Mainfreight Limited

66.1

69.98

64.85

The a2 Milk Company Limited

8.87

12.5

8.77

Fletcher Building Limited

6.92

7.12

5.67

Contact Energy Limited

6.82

11.16

6.6

380

Mar-21

DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T)

314

$/tonne Nov-20 Jan-21 Sept. 2022

567

305

2.53

385 Jul-20 Sep-20 Sept. 2021

637

305

2.60

7.00

May-20

637

30 micron lamb

400

Aug 2020-21

Urea

7.50

Jun

Last year

2.23

405

Apr 2019-20

Prior week

2.25

6.00

Feb

Last week

37 micron ewe

8.00

Mar-20

NZ average (NZ$/t)

Super

CANTERBURY FEED WHEAT

6.50

Dec

Fertiliser

Aug 2020-21

Grain

Data provided by

MILK PRICE FUTURES

5.50

Oct

FERTILISER

Coarse xbred ind. Jun

7.0

5-yr ave

(NZ$/kg) Apr

8.0

5.0

7.0

4.50 Feb

9.0

6.0

WOOL

Dec

South Island stag slaughter price

11.0

5.00

5-yr ave

$/kg MS

5.0

8.0

5.0

Oct

7.0

6.0

6.00

4.00

8.0 6.0

9.0

4.50

9.0

7.0 6.0

Last year

10.0

8.0

6.00

Last week Prior week

North Island stag slaughter price

11.0

$/kg CW

North Island steer slaughter price 6.50

North Island lamb slaughter price

9.0

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

$/kg CW

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

William Hickson

Ingrid Usherwood

Mar-20

May-20

Jul-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Jan-21

Mar-21

CANTERBURY FEED BARLEY

Listed Agri Shares

5pm, close of market, Thursday

Company

YTD High

YTD Low

ArborGen Holdings Limited

0.165

0.195

0.161

The a2 Milk Company Limited

8.87

12.5

8.77

Comvita Limited

3.1

3.48

3.06

Last price*

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

3945

4130

3760

400

Delegat Group Limited

14.65

15.4

13.75

SMP

2835

2830

2825

395

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

4.95

5.15

4.35

Foley Wines Limited

1.85

2.07

1.68

390

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

0.81

Marlborough Wine Estates Group Limited

0.31

0.65

0.3

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

1.53

1.72

1.43

4140

4100

4050

Butter

3500

3460

3430

Milk Price

7.64

7.70

$/tonne

AMF

405

385

7.36

380

Mar-20

* price as at close of business on Thursday

4000

400

3800

350

3600 3400 3200

Jul-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Jan-21

Mar-21

WAIKATO PALM KERNEL

$/tonne

US$/t

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

May-20

300

PGG Wrightson Limited

3.4

3.65

3.11

Rua Bioscience Limited

0.425

0.61

0.42

Sanford Limited (NS)

4.55

5.23

4.3

Scales Corporation Limited

4.48

5.09

4.22 4.66

Seeka Limited

4.9

5.04

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

3.45

5.24

3.35

T&G Global Limited

2.92

2.88

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity Index

14053

15491

14053

S&P/NZX 50 Index

12388

13558

12085

S&P/NZX 10 Index

12190

13978

11776

250 Apr

May Jun Latest price

Jul

Aug 4 weeks ago

Sep

200

Mar-20

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

May-20

Jul-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Jan-21

Mar-21

14053

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

12388

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

12190

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

Pulse

WEATHER Soil Moisture

Overview The North Island should get further patchy rain and showers this week as a weak low moves in around Wednesday. Check your RuralWeather.co.nz forecast for hourly and daily rainfall totals, powered by the IBM Watson supercomputer, the most accurate in NZ for rainfall estimates. The South Island isn’t as exposed but a few showers will affect both western a eastern sides, while Nelson and Marlborough do have the chance of getting brushed by some of that North Island rain. Later this week a southerly change will come in and on Good Friday a cold front should move up the South Island – more so on the eastern side, then on Easter Saturday, into the southern and eastern North Island.

Lamb trumps beef in China

25/03/2021

Mel Croad mel.croad@globalhq.co.nz

Source: NIWA Data

Highlights

Wind

Winds aren’t too major this week, but this long weekend – Sunday/ Monday – and again next week, could see gale force winds from both the west and south pushing into NZ. Wind warnings are possible next week in NZ.

Highlights/ Extremes

Temperature The usual late-March/ early-April variety with temperatures, but generally leaning a bit warmer than average, but a colder change mid next week may well change that. Next week’s southerly isn’t locked in yet, but worth monitoring.

14-day outlook

There’s certainly an autumn pattern – changeable – forming now around NZ, but the high pressure belts coming out of the Indian Ocean and Australia regions are definitely dominating overall. But as we saw with the recent flooding in NSW, sometimes it’s a blocking high that can help generate big rain totals. As we go into April, we see Tasman rainmakers, typical windy westerlies with Southern Ocean lows, but also the potential of subtropical rainmakers. Next week may have stormy weather – worth monitoring.

A typical Easter weekend coming, where half of the time looks dry and the other half wet – generally speaking for the whole country. Next week there may be a cold southerly and a sub-tropical low merging in the NZ area.

7-day rainfall forecast

100

200

400

Some rain is in the forecast for both islands over the next week, but not all will have a huge amount. The eastern South Island looks to lean drier than average, despite the wetter change around Thursday. However, many parts of the North Island, along with the West Coast, lean wetter than average – or about right for this time of year. By Easter Monday a westerly blast in the South Island from a low in the Southern Ocean will push rain back to the West Coast.

Weather brought to you in partnership with weatherwatch.co.nz

EW Zealand is reliant on China to absorb a hefty portion of our red meat exports. In recent years, growth in China’s protein demand has lifted our reliance even further, driven by Chinese asking prices that are generally more competitive than other markets. This has certainly been the case for lamb and mutton. In the 12 months to February, China accounted for 50% of our lamb exports and 76% of our mutton exports, a combined total of 226,000 tonnes. This result represents a 36,000t lift in the preceding 12 months and was achieved during the covid-19 global lockdowns and subsequent disruptions to market access and demand. Market conditions in China are becoming increasingly positive. This is favouring NZ lamb and mutton export returns with prices showing some impressive upside. The background to this lies with a couple of factors. Latest economic data out of China shows a substantial recovery in retail sales of consumer goods, with a notable growth in high ticket items. It seems that Chinese consumers have regained their confidence as the Chinese economy rebounds. Industrial output, investment and foreign trade are also showing remarkable recoveries. Commodity prices are following the general strengthening of the economy. Domestic raw milk prices in China have hit record levels for February and NZ forestry exports have seen substantial price lifts. Indications of another protein shortage due to African swine fever outbreaks in large piggeries in China, albeit on a smaller scale than in 2019, are also helping to fuel demand for imported protein. Early pork trade data suggests that China is still importing elevated volumes of pork from its usual trading partners. But this is well back on year ago volumes as Chinese pig stocks rebuild. This strong economic activity within China and a possible protein shortage bodes well for NZ lamb exports. NZ lamb is first in line when it comes to supplying China’s

Stay up to speed. Packaged in a bite-sized e-newsletter, My Daily Digest contains the biggest stories and key developments of the day. Don’t miss a beat. Sign up today at: farmersweekly.co.nz/e-newsletter

globalhq.co.nz - you’ve come to the right place

lamb needs, with very few competitors to worry about. Australian lamb exports have grown in recent years, but China only absorbs 25% of their total lamb export volume. Lamb production within Australia continues to be hamstrung due to flock rebuilding efforts. In the first two months of 2021, the drop in lamb slaughter led to a 34% year-on-year decline in total Australian lamb exports, providing greater opportunity for NZ lamb to bridge any supply gaps. The same, unfortunately, cannot yet be said for beef. The beef market in China is a competitive environment and well-serviced by several large market players. If China’s beef demands increase, there are plenty of options to increase supply but not necessarily price – due to the many market players involved. This is one of the key reasons why NZ lamb and mutton export prices perform better in China than NZ beef and react faster to changes in demand patterns.

Commodity prices are following the general strengthening of the economy. NZ is a small but competitive player, however, China’s beef demands are far greater than NZ can meet. Our beef exports to China in the past 12 months only equated to 36% of our total volume shipped. South American export powerhouses Brazil and Argentina dominate the Chinese beef market through their ability to provide consistently high volumes of beef, often at cheaper prices. Export volumes of South American beef have lost some of their edge in recent months, but the US is only just getting started. After gaining better market access during “phase one” of the China-US trade agreement, US beef exports volumes to China are already over halfway to NZ’s monthly volumes. This adds another level of complexity to the market and, in time, may push NZ further down the beef market share ladder within China.

SALE YARD WRAP

SI calf sales gain momentum A lull in calf sales and weaner fairs is just the calm before the storm. Round one and, in some cases, round two for the North Island fairs have passed and later-born calves will start to flow more readily in the week prior to Easter. South Island sales have started and momentum will continue to build as Temuka and Canterbury Park start their calf selling season. NORTHLAND Wellsford store cattle • R3 Angus and Angus-Hereford steers, 555kg, held value at $2.43/ kg • R2 Angus and Angus-Hereford steers, 364-409kg, lifted to $2.70$2.75/kg • Top R2 Angus-Friesian steers and heifers, 368-444kg, softened to $2.43-$2.49/kg Just shy of 800 store cattle were penned at WELLSFORD last Monday. R3 Angus-cross steers, 485kg, returned $2.31/ kg. Most beef-dairy, 466-595kg, realised $2.47-$2.58/kg and same breed heifers, 476-508kg, $2.41-$2.52/kg. R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 484-502kg, eased to $2.53-$2.56/ kg, though 370-453kg pushed to $2.72-$2.73/kg. Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 353-364kg, traded at $2.40-$2.50/ kg while Hereford-Friesian, 322-364kg, softened to $2.47$2.49/kg. Hereford-dairy heifers, 387-412kg, held at $2.30$2.37/kg, as did Friesian bulls, 312-343kg, $2.44-$2.45/kg. Weaner Angus-Hereford bulls, 260kg, fetched $620. Anguscross steers, 199-259kg, managed $640-$745. Read more in your LivestockEye. Kaikohe weaner bull and store cattle sale • Autumn-born weaner beef bulls made $2.75/kg to $2.95/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 180-210kg, sold to $3.20-$3.30/kg • R2 Hereford bulls earned $2.94/kg There were around 650 good-quality weaner bulls at KAIKOHE last Wednesday and the market exceeded expectations, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported. Heavier spring born beef lines around 260-300kg made $2.90/kg to $3.10/kg, with medium types $3.00/kg to $3.30/kg and smaller bulls realised around $3.20-$3.30/ kg. Older cattle were limited though a handful of beef-cross steers fetched $2.60/kg, heifers $2.30/kg and bulls $2.40$2.50/kg.

AUCKLAND Pukekohe cattle • Medium weaner steers made $530-$690 • Medium weaner heifers earned $400-$540 • Boner cows fetched $1.09/kg to $1.24/kg Dry conditions took the spark out of the market at PUKEKOHE. Light to medium prime steers made $2.45$2.53/kg and heifers $2.36/kg to $2.48/kg.

COUNTIES Tuakau sales • Hereford-Friesian steers at 347kg made $3.04/kg • Heavy beef cows returned $1.90/kg to 2.05/kg • Heavy prime ewes realised $140-$171 Steer prices firmed slightly at TUAKAU last Thursday, PGG Wrightson agent Craig Reiche reported. A yarding of almost 900-head included Hereford-Friesian steers, 512kg, at $2.63/kg, and 430kg, $2.81/kg. Charolais steers, 396kg, managed $2.87/kg and Hereford-Friesian weaners, 140197kg, $570-$610. The heifer market softened. HerefordFriesian, 422kg, returned $2.48/kg, with 320kg at $815, and 261kg Hereford, $585. Heavy prime steers made $2.65$2.70/kg on Wednesday, with medium at $2.55-$2.65/ kg and light, $2.40-$2.55/kg. Heavy heifers fetched $2.59$2.64/kg and medium, $2.51-$2.59/kg. Well-conditioned Friesian cows realised $1.74-$1.81/kg, medium boners made $1.68-$1.74/kg and light sold down to $1.20/kg. Ewes dominated Monday’s sheep sale and sold strongly, medium returned $110-$140 and light $90-$110. Prime lambs made $121-$130 and stores $74-$95.

WAIKATO Frankton cattle sale 23.3 • R2 Charolais-Friesian steers, 385-414kg, realised $2.80-$2.88/kg • Hereford-Friesian heifers, 391-400kg, improved to $2.56-$2.65/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 126-156kg, held at $400-$490 PGG Wrightson penned 668 cattle at FRANKTON last Tuesday and heifers made up 43% of the offering. Ten R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 361kg, managed $2.69/kg with the balance, 342-475kg, $2.49-$2.56/kg. HerefordFriesian heifers, 303-395kg, held at $2.50-$2.56/kg while

Simmental-Friesian, 305-330kg, fetched $2.62-$2.64/ kg. Angus-Friesian, 289-369kg, softened to $2.47-$2.51/ kg. Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 106-135kg, returned $420-$505. Heifers of same breed, 139-142kg, sold well at $465-$470 and bulls, 149-160kg, $525-$560. Prime Angus steers, 490-518kg, earned $2.62-$2.65/kg with HerefordFriesian, 468kg, $2.56/kg. High yielding Hereford bulls, 648-777kg, managed $1820-$2045, $2.81/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye. Frankton cattle sale 24.3 • Three R3 steer Charolais-cross steers, 495kg, topped their section at $2.61/kg • Seven well-marked R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 293kg, strengthened to $3.41/kg • R2 Hereford-dairy heifers, 308-346kg, returned $2.09-$2.20/kg Store cattle throughput reduced to 482 head at FRANKTON last Wednesday for New Zealand Farmers Livestock, and all traded in line with quality. Better R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 316kg, managed $2.91/kg while same breed heifers, 324-399kg, eased to $2.38-$2.47/kg. Quality Hereford bulls, 388-473kg, lifted to $3.07-$3.12/kg and 350kg, $3.30/kg. Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 110187kg, managed $495-$575. Same breed heifers, 116-158kg, held at $340-$455 and bulls, 142kg, $530. Prime beef-dairy heifers, 425-638kg, realised $2.42-$2.48/kg. Boner Friesiancross cows, 586kg, improved to $1.77/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye.

KING COUNTRY Taupo cattle • R2 Angus steers, 321-347kg, returned $2.62-$2.65/kg • 12 R2 Angus-Hereford heifers, 428kg, managed $2.49/kg • Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 168-173kg, fetched $490-$540 Late withdrawals lowered the sale tally to 135 head at TAUPO last Thursday. Most R2 steers were beef-Friesian and sold from $2.22/kg to $2.43/kg. Angus heifers of same age and 342kg made $2.49/kg and a lighter line of Speckle Park-cross, 231kg, reached $2.81/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye. Te Kuiti sheep • Top store ewe lambs made $105-$114, with medium $95-$100 and light $80-$94 • Capital stock 2th-5yr ewes sold to $133-$150 Store lambs sold on par to the previous sale at TE KUITI last Wednesday. Top male lambs earned $115-$128 and medium $90-$120. Mixed-sex lambs traded at $90-$109. Prime lambs held with heavy types $132-$144 and medium $117-$125.

BAY OF PLENTY Rangiuru cattle and sheep • R3 Hereford heifers, 457kg, earned $2.54/kg • R2 Angus-Hereford steers, 333kg, were the best of the section at $2.73/kg • Prime Hereford-Friesian heifers, 496-576kg, achieved $2.57-$2.67/ kg Store cattle were subjected to good competition at RANGIURU last Tuesday. The R3 pens were dominated by Hereford-Friesian heifers, 410-448kg, that fetched $2.49-$2.52/kg with 448kg steers at $2.52/kg. R2 HerefordFriesian steers, 331-340kg, sold for $2.59-$2.63/kg but most of the rest, 282-426kg, were not as well-bred and made $2.38/kg to $2.58/kg. Similar prices were posted for the equivalent heifers. A big consignment of store lambs made $95-$99 while prime lambs ranged from $74 to $134.50. Read more in your LivestockEye.

POVERTY BAY Matawhero Sheep • Top store ewe lambs lifted to $100-$110.50 with medium $85$96.50 and light $76-$85 • Ram lambs traded at $109-$124 • Prime 2-tooth ewes made $137 • Prime mixed-age ewes earned $156-$167 There was 2750 store lambs penned at MATAWHERO last Friday. Top male lambs firmed to $117.50-$121 with

medium $100-$114. Heavy prime lambs strengthened to$178-$181 with medium $131-$154 and light $120-$127. Read more in your LivestockEye.

TARANAKI Taranaki cattle • R2 Speckle Park-cross and Hereford-Friesian steers, 351-396kg, made $2.66-$2.75/kg • Weaner steers around 200kg traded at $580-$650 • Weaner Angus and Speckle Park-cross heifers realised $550-$640 • Weaner Friesian bull, 162-16kg, fetched $400 • Prime steers mostly earned $2.56-$2.66/kg The store cattle market at TARANAKI last Wednesday was a little flat, though better lines were more resilient. R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, 538kg, held at $2.58/kg, though very nice steers at 628kg sold to $2.74/kg. Better R2 heifers held value at $2.40-$2.46/kg, while lesser types eased with most back to $2.22-$2.32/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye.

HAWKE’S BAY Stortford Lodge prime cattle and sheep • Heavy ewes held at $149-$162 • Very good ewes also held at $140-$149 • Medium-good ewes traded at steady to firm levels of $122-$129 Sheep throughput lifted to 1063 at STORTFORD LODGE last Monday and ewes made up 913 of that tally. A small top end held value at $165. Good ewes improved to $138 and light-medium to medium held at $93-$116. Lamb numbers doubled to 134 and good competition kept the market strong. Very heavy male and ram lambs held at $145$145.50. Heavy mixed-sex improved to $123-$129. Very heavy ewe lambs had plenty of condition and were wellcontested at $140.50-$143. No cattle were offered. Read more in your LivestockEye. Stortford Lodge store cattle and sheep • R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, 608kg, made $2.47/kg • R2 Angus and Angus-Hereford heifers, 390kg, sold for $2.72/kg • Heavy male lambs held at $120-$130 • Good male lambs firmed to $107-$121 • Medium ewe lambs firmed to $96-$101 Store lamb volume lifted to 5200 at STORTFORD LODGE last Wednesday. Local buyers firmed the market for most, and top ewe lambs sold for $110-$118. Medium males returned $96-$117 and two pens of halfbred wethers made $96.50-$107. Cattle volume was very low at 110 head and only a few lines featured. Weaner Angus heifers, 119-143kg, sold for $355-$415. Read more in your LivestockEye.

MANAWATU Feilding prime cattle and sheep, calf sale • Top ewes made $179 with the majority $133-$156 • Hereford & Angus-Hereford cows, 635kg, made $1.81/kg Very heavy lambs ranged from $158-$171 at FEILDING last Monday but were outnumbered by heavy lines at $141155. Medium-good lambs fetched $120-$131. Dairy cows were lower in condition than the previous sale and Friesian, 455-560kg, were generally $1.26-$1.37/kg. A medium condition pen, 560kg, made $1.44/kg. In the calf section Friesian bulls reached $130-$180 for good types. HerefordFriesian bulls did well at $240 while heifers reached $270. Most of the rest were good Angus-cross which made $170$195 in both the bull and heifer pens. Read more in your LivestockEye. Feilding store sale • Traditional R3 steers, 465-755kg, eased to $2.65-$2.75/kg • Traditional and exotic R2 steers, 435-515kg, made $2.60-$2.75/kg • R2 Friesian bulls, 395-490kg, sold for $2.35-$2.50/kg • Store male lambs averaged $119 • Store ewe lambs averaged $108.50 More than 1200 store cattle were mainly softer selling. Some 635kg, capital stock, run-with-bull South Devon cows made $1450, $2.30/kg. One line of 575kg R3 Angus steers made $2.85/kg, but others were at least 10c/kg lower. R2 Hereford-Friesian steers were mainly mixed-marked, with 425-480kg making $2.35-$2.50/kg. Heifers were a tough sell

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021

at times as good 360-420kg R2 lines sold for $2.50-$2.60/ kg, but the lighter and offtypes were mainly $2.25-$2.40/kg. Big lines of 160-205kg weaner Friesian bulls made $465$510. It was a strong sale for the 15,500 store lambs. Usually the heavy males were $130-$135, good lines $120-$125, mediums circled $115 and the lighter cuts mainly made $100-$105. Good ewe lambs were $110-$120, mediums $100-$110 and a few light lines $85-$100. Around 800 ewes were sold, mainly in large pens. Good two-tooths sold for $173-$180, while decent-quality older ewes were $150$161. Read more in your LivestockEye. Rongotea cattle • R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 398-515kg, made $2.39/kg • R2 Speckle Park bulls, 560kg, sold to $2.52/kg • R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 445kg, earned $2.29/kg • Friesian boner cows, 435kg, traded at $1.29/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 118-157kg, fetched $260-$420, and 160kg Hereford-Friesian $470 Weaners were a feature at RONGOTEA last Tuesday, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood reported. Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 169-223kg, made $455$500 and Limousin-cross, 273kg, traded at $700. Weaner Angus heifers, 253kg, sold up to $750 with 265kg Limousincross $690. Dannevirke weaner fair • Top traditional steers made $810-$880 • Top traditional heifers sold for $575-$600 DANNEVIRKE joined the weaner fair action last Thursday with a 620 head yarding. It consisted of annual draft traditional steers and heifers which largely sold to Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay and local. Steers met keen interest and the balance of the section returned $530-$780. Heifers proved to be harder work and second and third cuts traded at $400-$515. Read more in your LivestockEye. Wairoa cattle sale • The top end of R2 steers sold at $1345-$1445 and second cuts $1200-$1300 • Better R2 traditional and Charolais heifers earned $920-$1170 • R2 traditional and exotic bulls made $650-$700 There was just under 1350 head of cattle at the WAIROA cattle sale last Thursday. Cattle were of very good quality and local buyers were joined by Hawkes Bay and Manawatu. R3 steers mostly sold in a range of $1400-$1500 while Charolais and better Angus sold to $1580-$1600. Read more in your LivestockEye.

NORTH V SOUTH: Cheviot was one of the few calf sales held over last week. Held on Thursday and Friday, it was split into South and North sections, with about 1200 calves being sold over the two days.

Only one pen of R2 heifers exceeded $2/kg and it contained 310kg Charolais-cross at $2.03/kg. The rest were a variety of dairy-beef breeds, 310-400kg, selectively bought from $1.29/kg to $1.98/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye. Cheviot south calf sale • Top traditional steers, 261-296kg, made $820-$930, $3.08-$3.12/kg • Charolais heifers, 232-256kg, earned $640-$700, $2.73-$2.76/kg The CHEVIOT south calf sale penned 600 traditional and exotic calves broke down to 400 steers and 200 heifers last Thursday. Quality was mostly good and mid Canterbury buyers were active on the steers, though absent on heifers. Medium traditional steers, 210-254kg, sold for $660-$820, $3.12-$3.23/kg and Charolais, 216-263kg, $610-$770. The top Angus heifers, 221-271kg, were buyable at $580-$670, and varied from $2.47/kg to $2.64/kg.

SOUTH-CANTERBURY

Canterbury Park prime cattle and all sheep • Angus-Hereford steers, 630-717kg, returned $2.49-$2.57/kg • Charolais heifers, 490-513kg, fetched $2.43-$2.44/kg • Wiltshire breeding ewes earned $135-$140 Steers were the standout at CANTERBURY PARK last Tuesday and they contributed 89 of the 136 cattle yarded. Those 500kg plus generally fetched $2.45-$2.57/kg. The heifer section was lower in quality and 400-500kg were priced at $2.20-$2.31/kg. Prime lambs reached $187 while heavy pens managed $163-$178 and the balance, $105$155. The top performing ewes were heavy pens that made $165-$205 while the balance made $89-$160. Store lamb numbers were low and a range of $70 to $108 covered most. Read more in your LivestockEye.

Temuka prime cattle and all sheep • Angus-Hereford steers, 598kg, sold for $2.50/kg • Perendale ewe lambs earned $110-$111 • Breeding ewes mostly traded at $148-$168 Nearly 800 prime cattle turned out at TEMUKA last Monday. Both the steer and heifer sections featured quality cattle and similar pricing. Angus steers, 480-537kg, traded at $2.39-$2.47/kg while 580-645kg heifers made $2.39$2.45/kg. Dairy-beef steers were 513-650kg and $2.36$2.46/kg, whilst 500-635kg heifers were often $2.30-$2.40/ kg. Just over 400 dairy cows were offered and 575kg and over Friesian averaged $1.48/kg while 415-540kg returned $1.33/kg. Store lambs were much heavier than the previous week and generally made $73-$124. Most prime lambs were $100-$151 while ewes ranged from $100 to $218. Read more in your LivestockEye.

Coalgate cattle and sheep • Prime traditional steers, 522-659kg, returned $2.42-$2.52/kg • Prime dairy-beef steers, 477-562kg, earned $2.32-$2.42/kg • Prime lambs fetched $97-$180 • Very heavy ewes made $210-$228 and wethers $208-$232 • Most other ewes managed $93-$180 All sections had lower volume at COALGATE last Thursday. Around a quarter of the store lambs were priced at $127-$145 while medium and light pens earned $70$111. Most R2 steers were Hereford-Friesian, 351-391kg, that sold in two cuts: $2.17-$2.22/kg and $2.00-$2.05/kg.

Temuka store cattle • R2 Speckle Park-Angus steers, 435kg, earned $2.51/kg • R2 traditional steers and heifers, 360-462kg, earned $2.10-$2.24/ kg Prices did not necessarily reflect the quality offered at TEMUKA last Thursday as a limited feed meant sellers had to meet the market. R2 beef-cross steers, 380-456kg, were $2.04-$2.15/kg. The best heifers were Hereford-Friesian, 440-442kg, that made $2.07-$2.14/kg while 340-386kg pens varied from $1.21/kg to $1.97/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye.

CANTERBURY

OTAGO Mt Benger calf sale • Top steers earned $750-$800 • Medium steers made $680-$730 • Light steers fetched $500-$550 Calves were in good condition at the MT BENGER calf sale last Tuesday and regular buyers attended from Southland and Central Otago. There was good demand for steers, though heifer demand was impacted by dry conditions. Top heifers traded at $550-$600 and medium $450-$500. Balclutha sheep • Heavy prime ewes made $140-$160, medium $120-$130 and light $80-$100 Prime lambs firmed at BALCLUTHA last Wednesday with heavy types at $130-$150, medium $120-$130 and light $90$100. Store lambs eased under mixed demand. The top end fetched $85-$95, medium $70-$80 and light $40-$60.

SOUTHLAND Lorneville sale • Prime 2-tooth ewes made $100-$122 • Store lambs held at $95-$105 with medium at $85-$90 and light $70-$80 • Better boner cows, 550kg, sold to $1.40/kg Heavy prime lambs held at $125-$138 at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday, medium managed $113-$122 and light $100$109. Heavy prime ewes eased to $136-$182 with medium at $100-$130 and light $75-$90. Coopworth-Texel capital stock three, four, and five-shear ewes traded at $170-$180. Prime steers, 600kg, held at $2.20-$2.30/kg and 500kg heifers returned $2.20/kg. In the store pens, R2 Limousin heifers, 353kg, fetched $2.39/kg. Weaner Hereford-cross bulls, 209kg, returned $515, with 154kg same breed heifers at $280. Charlton sheep • Heavy prime ewes held at $160-$180 with medium at $120-$155 and light $70-$110 There was a large yarding of prime ewes and lambs at CHARLTON last Thursday. Heavy prime lambs made $130-$140 with medium at $120-$128 and light $105-$118. Quality store lambs sold well with the top end up to $100$115, medium $80-$95 and light $40-$70.

Where livestock market insights begin LivestockEye • • • •

LivestockEye reports provide full sale results and informed commentary and is emailed directly after the sale. The most comprehensive and independent sale report you can get your hands on. Only AgriHQ sample-weighs store lambs to give you $/kg LW benchmark pricing. Choose from 10 sale yards across the country or check out our other popular reports.

Be ahead. Be informed. Be a subscriber Head to agrihq.co.nz email info@agrihq.co.nz or call 0800 85 25 80

Markets

48 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 29, 2021 NI STEER

SI COW

NI COW

($/KG)

5.00

3.20

6.55

GOOD MALE LAMBS AT STORTFORD LODGE ($/HD)

114-122

high $1435-$1600 $3.12-$3.23 Weaner Angus steers, R3 Angus steers at lights Most 210-254kg, at Cheviot Wairoa South

Cows, calves sold at dispersal Sarah Friel sarah.friel@globalhq.co.nz

FTER a false start last year, courtesy of covid-19 disrupting the selling season, Rangatira Angus were finally able to host their mixed-age cow and calf dispersal. On March 22, 244 lots achieved full clearance on Coventry Station. Rangatira Angus has been a stalwart of the New Zealand Angus scene for 61 years and has made significant contributions to the national herd in that time. With Charlie and Susie Dowding at the helm, the stud has consistently had strong average prices, sold a $100,000 bull – purchased by Cricklewood Angus in 2015, and regularly took out the Gisborne Wonder Cup when selling in the combined sale. After their two-year-old bull sale in June, the family will continue to farm Coventry and Rangatira Farm. Selling in-calf breeding cows and R1 cattle presented the unique and special opportunity for attendees to secure quality genetics. “It’s not very often you get your hands on East Coast genetics … these cows give new breeders a really solid foundation to their herds,” PGG Wrightson livestock genetics representative Emma Pollitt said. As such, the sale was well subscribed. At commencement there were 38 registered buyers in the rostrum with more registering throughout, and 26 buyers registered with bidr – bidr users accounted for 21% of the bids throughout the sale. Locals and North Island buyers

BID: Auctioneer Neville Clark and bidspotters Jamie Hayward (left) and Stephen Hickey catch incoming bids for top-priced cow Lot 41.

AT ATTENTION: Bull calves look on curiously as buyers survey their options on Monday morning.

were well represented on the hay bales, while South Island punters tuned in from home. Nearing the six-hour mark at completion, the sale was a marathon effort for the Dowding family, auctioneer Neville Clark, bidspotters, bidders and helpers. However, there was no sense of a drag

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.

in the sale, due to spirited bidding throughout. Buyers had a spread of ages to choose from, out of the 111 cows offered. There were more experienced calvers from as early as 2008 available, as well as R3 cows later in the section. Buyers who had walked through the cows on

Sunday and early Monday morning knew how excellent temperaments were, and Clark drew attention to the width and depth of their structure, indicating strong “doability”. Strong competition from seasoned and new breeders alike resulted in a $4756 average price, with the toppriced cow selling for $12,000 to Rolling Rock Angus. The cows’ sons and daughters entered the ring next. The heifer section was well contested, as 68 R1 heifers averaged $4283. Weights of these cattle ranged from 255kg-326kg, and prices soared in the second half of the sale when the top-priced heifer calf shifted for $10,500, purchased by Shamrock Angus. Bidr user Leafield Farms purchased the next highest priced calf, Lot 177 for $9750. R1 bull calves were the last to sell and while some buyers had abandoned their bales, these cattle still shifted easily. Weights ranged from 269kg368kg and the 65 bulls offered averaged $3896. Despite the lower average, some of the most exciting moments of the sale were consigned to the bull section. Bidr buyers chased the rostrum up to $17,500 for Lot 207, which was eventually knocked down to Mt Mable Angus as a potential stud bull for 2022. This heated exchange earned a round of applause from the rostrum, but was shortly outdone by a bidr war over Lot 238. This bull sold to bidr user Black Ridge Angus for $20,500. With a five o’clock finish time, buyers and the selling team were ready to kick into the festivities with dinner, drinks, and dancing to celebrate Rangatira Angus’s service to the breed.

ACROSS THE RAILS SUZ BREMNER

The week sale yards closed HISTORY was made a year ago when the country went into lockdown as covid-19 took hold, and all sale yards across the country were forced to shut their gates. This left a sense of bewilderment and confusion, and as Hawke’s Bay also headed further into drought, a sense of helplessness. Even good old kiwi ingenuity and the No8 wire attitude could do little to rectify the situation – though there were plenty of farmers and stock agent companies willing to try. For seven weeks livestock selling had to occur without the convenience and competitive environment that the sale yards provided. In the first few weeks of that period, prices for most classes of stock took a hit and then plateaued. With limited benchmark pricing to work off, the markets found themselves in no-man’s land. And as Level 2 and the reopening of the yards drew closer, trading reduced to just a trickle as both sellers and buyers who could afford to, opted to ride out the lockdown until the sale yards reopened. Online platforms were suddenly pushed into the limelight over that seven-week period though, and some continue to this day. They have found their place within the sale yard selling system as some yards become hybrid – livestreaming sales and taking bids from both within the rostrum and online. But the sale yards were not only missed for the purpose of selling livestock. They were also missed as a social point for farmers to catch up and spin a few yarns. For those reasons it came as a relief to all when the sale yards were finally able to reopen mid-May last year, and they have not looked back since. Roll on a year and the sale yards are once again a hive of activity, as the lockdown and subsequent closure of the yards firmly cemented their place in our agricultural industry. suz.bremner@globalhq.co.nz

Find out more about AgriHQ at agrihq.co.nz

You can’t control the weather, but you can control how you plan for it. Visit ruralweather.co.nz for detailed hour-by-hour forecasts for your local area, ten days in advance. RuralWeather - Backing farmers and growers who feed New Zealanders.

ruralweather.co.nz

1 Page 1 inside

Vol 19 No 12, March 29, 2021

farmersweekly.co.nz

$3.95

Together, Creating the Best Soil and Feed on Earth

Meet the new MyBallance mobile app

Incl GST

Now it’s easy to manage your farm’s nutrients from anywhere Our new mobile app is the easiest way to keep your farm at your fingertips. Now you can view and order from your fert recommendations, view soil tests, and place new product orders, wherever, whenever. That means more time out in the field and less time stuck in the office.

Scan this QR code to download now or search for MyBallance on the app store

Together, Creating th Soil and Fe

The new MyBallance app at a glance Order products on the go

See and order from your fert recommendations

Our simplified order process makes it easy to place an order the moment you think of it, in just a few easy taps.

Your tailored fert recommendations are available right here in the app, so you can easily keep track of your farm’s nutrient needs.

View soil tests

Easy login with Touch or Face ID

Noticed a trouble spot? View your soil test results at a glance where and when you think of it.

Enter your password less frequently by choosing to use Face ID or Touch ID.

Access My Farm Forecaster

Contact a Ballance Nutrient Specialist

Keep an eye on the weather with easy access to My Farm Forecaster, for up-to-theminute localised weather reports.

Getting in touch with your local Nutrient Specialist is now just one tap away.

New to MyBallance? Even if you’ve never used MyBallance before, your order history is already saved in the system. As soon as you activate your account, you’ll be able to see your current orders – which can help with future decision making.

Need help? See our website or give us a call.

ballance.co.nz | 0800 222 090